Mania
by Spencers13
Summary: A story about life, love, courage, and testing ultimate friendship. What happens when one of their own falls into despair and changes completely? Nothing will ever be the same. An AU set five years after Dark Shadows. Full intro in CH 1.
1. All Is Lost

A story about life, love, courage, and testing ultimate friendship. What happens to Beetlejuice and his friends when one of their own falls into despair and changes completely? Nothing will ever be the same. This story is an **Alternate Universe** set five years after _Dark Shadows_, and does **not** follow the intended story line. I repeat, this story does **NOT** follow the intended story line of the two stories (_A New Beginning_ & _Dark Shadows_) included in my _Beetlejuice Afterlife_ series, which is why it is simply titled "Mania" and not "Beetlejuice Afterlife – Mania". If I have someone ask me why I would put this as a sequel, I'll ignore them, because, right here it says: **THIS STORY IS NOT A SEQUEL**. This story was just bursting to be written, but I have no intention to make it part of my previous series. It just happens to use that series' events as a prelude. I hope there is no confusion.  
  
Please note the rating. The language in this story is a lot harsher than that of the other stories I've written, so be forewarned in case you weren't expecting something "tame" like that. This story also addresses adult subjects such as suicide, sexuality, and nonconsensual sex (ie rape) which are not intended for children under the age of, really, 18. In essence, read at your own risk. I am not responsible if you get in trouble when there have been warnings and ratings posted all over this story.  
  
I had this whole big hooplah written about my reasoning for writing this story the way I did, concentrating on only a few characters, etc. But I realized something when I remembered what I read in a "how to write" book once. "_Never give a synopsis of your story or explain your workthe work should explain itself. If It needs help, it isn't ready to be sent out._" So, I am going to let my work speak for itself. So aside from the usual technical dribble that's already been stated, I will say nothing more in this intro about what to expect, or explain my reasoning for what I've written. All I _will_ say is: I haven't been this excited over my own writing for a long time, and I hope it shows through when you read it. I've poured a lot more than I usually do into this story, and I hope that shows through as well. All in all, please enjoy, and do let me know how you liked it in a review. Thank you! ^_^  
  
  
DISCLAIMER: The only one you'll see on this story, since it only needs said once at the beginning. Beetlejuice and all affiliated copyrighted characters, names, locations, and concepts are copyright Geffen Film Company. Original characters Endri, Kyle, Avo, Dr. Pepper, Faygo, Moira, Kaia, Frank, and other randomly inserted original people, and original story concept are copyright to me, Spencers13 (or Lacey G to be technical). Dr Pepper (the soft drink - with no period ".") is copyright Dr Pepper/Seven-Up Inc. Faygo (the soft drink) is copyright Faygo Beverages Inc.  
  


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Mania  
Spencers13 – March 2003–March 2004  
R – Drama – Angst 

  
  
  
  
Chapter One – All Is Lost  
  
  
Deep, melancholy tones floated over the Neitherworld landscape perfectly accenting the surrounding night. Infinite stars shone overhead, twinkling brightly. Three ratty moons hung in an arc over the sky, setting the unnatural land beneath aglow with ethereal blue. It was hauntingly beautiful, but also hauntingly oppressing.  
  
A slow, somber tune floated across the atmosphere, dripping with sadness, longing, and sorrow. The source was a fife, it's player sitting alone upon the roof of BJ's Roadhouse. His eyes were closed, and his body swayed just slightly, lost in the dark tones of his song.  
  
The man, young by many standards in the Neitherworld, was Endri Juice, son of Beetlejuice, the self–proclaimed "Ghost with the Most". He had been up there for almost three hours, losing himself in his song for over half an hour now. The blonde ghost enjoyed the solitude, craved it sometimes, even. And when he played his fife, he was able to express so many emotions otherwise difficult to get across to otherseven himself.  
  
Gradually, his song, signifying his entire afterlife up until that point, came to an end. The small instrument was lowered away from his lips and rested into his lap, his fingers still poised over the keys, simply holding it there. He sighed, staring out over the landscape at the horizon in the distance, watching as the stars slowly spun in their places in space and watching as the Neitherworld spun slowly. It made everything seem as though those heavenly bodies were moving in and endless circle and not the planet.  
  
The three moons overhead—full of holes, but still massive enough to light the land below with their pale, blue light—shone on Endri's pallid, nearly lavender skin, setting it aglow. A light breeze drifted by, disturbing his long, blonde hair and playing with the strands, tossing it about his head in a beautiful dance. The wind was warm against his skin and smelled a lot fresher than usual. The Neitherworld wasn't exactly the freshest or cleanest place in the Universe, but tonight it was reeking with it's own unnatural beauty.  
  
_All_ of it was lost upon the ghost, however.  
  
Nothing could seem to penetrate the depressed air about him. He simply sat and brooded, thought and stared straight ahead. To any onlookers, he could have been mistaken for a statue—another odd piece that Beetlejuice had collected from someplace or the other.  
  
"Kyle"  
  
Stepping out from behind the neon BJ's sign, Kyle Bennington reached up and held onto the frame for support. "HeyI stopped by for a while, and when I couldn't find you I–I heard this music playing and thought"  
  
"It's all right," Endri said, not looking over. He reached down to the side and patted the roofing next to him, offering Kyle a seat.  
  
The human stepped over cautiously, wary of falling off of the slick roof. He sat down next to his friend and propped his heels into one of the corrugated dips in the roofing tile, feeling safer with that bit of support under his feet.  
  
They sat in silence for a time, both staring off into the sky in the distance and watching everything go by. The night was clear and bright, and it brought a smile to Kyle's lips. Neitherworld nights, as long as they weren't frightening, were quite a spectacle to behold. He sighed quietly, and finally tilted his head to take a peek at Endri beside him. The ghost's visage was twisted into a perfect mask of indifference. Something _had_ to be up.  
  
"Endriis there something bothering you?" Kyle asked, keeping his voice low so as not to disturb the peaceful mood that hung around them.  
  
"What makes you think that?"  
  
"I can _feel_ it almost—sense it like you can sense stuff."  
  
Endri smirked emptily but never looked over. He sighed and blinked slowly, lifting his eyes more skyward. "You knowsometimes I stare at the skies, and I think of all the other planetseverything else out thereand I realize just how absolutely insignificant I _really_ am."  
  
Kyle frowned slightly, carefully observing his friend. Something didn't sound right about his voice.  
  
"You know that the smaller something gets, it will eventually not exist anymore. And I'm so tiny in the vast scope of the UniverseI don't really exist."  
  
The human still couldn't shake that uneasy feeling that something wasn't right, and now he was positive. "Oh, come–on, Endri, don't be dumb."  
  
Shaking his head, the ghost continued to stare upward. He had yet to even glance at his best friend. "You're a scientist, Kyle. You know all about that. You know it's true."  
  
"Yeah, but you _do_ exist. That crap is only a theory anyway. Why are you talking like this? I've never heard you say suchdepressing things."  
  
Endri sighed and lowered his head, closing his eyes. "BecauseI'm tired. I'm so weary of waking up every single day and thinking, 'Oh, boy, another fun–filled, glorious day! What, oh, what shall I do today? How about the same exact thing I did yesterday!'" He sighed deeply, slipping his lavender tongue from his mouth to wet his lips. "No, Kyle, I'm sick of it. I'm sick of trudging through my existence from one day to the next and losing my sanity bit by bit. I'm tired of it all. I just want everything to _stop_."  
  
Kyle sat quietly for a moment, going back over some of what the ghost had said and picking it apart, as he usually did. "Endriwhat's wrong?"  
  
Smirking emptily, Endri only shook his head, still not opening his eyes. "Nothing's wrong, Kyle. Nothing but me."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
The ghost just sighed and shook his head again.  
  
"You don't sound like yourself at all."  
  
"Well, maybe I'm _not_ myself!" he snapped, finally twisting his head to look upon his friend's surprised face. "Am I not allowed to be depressed once in a while?! Am I not allowed to be anything but my normal, barely emotional self?!"  
  
Kyle's eyes widened. "Wellsure you are, Endri. Everybody has the right to get emotional whenever they want. II just wanna know _why_ you're depressed."  
  
"Why should you care?" Endri hissed, looking away again.  
  
"Because I'm your friend?" The human's voice was quieter, hurt leaking into his tone.  
  
"Friend?" The ghost paused for a while. "No, Kyle. No, I—You don't need me to lay my burdens on you. It's nothing anywaynothing that can't be fixed," he mumbled.  
  
"What do you mean—'fixed'?" Kyle asked suspiciously, one eye squinting.  
  
"Nothing." Endri cleaned his fife carefully, running the soft cleaning cloth over its surface and down through parts of the hollow tube. Gently, he stowed it away in its carrying case and closed and latched it with care. He handed the box to Kyle. "Here. Take this. Keep it."  
  
The human suddenly found the case shoved into his hands, and he looked at it curiously. "K–Keep it? Butthis is yours. Claire gave it to you. Don't you want it anymore?"  
  
"I don't need it anymore."  
  
"Wellwhy?"  
  
The ghost was quiet for a minute. Finally, voice just barely a whisper, he said, "_I just don't._"  
  
"Endri, you're not making any senseand you're worrying me."  
  
"Don't worry about me, Kyle. Nobody needs to worry about me anymoreif they ever did in the first place."  
  
Kyle frowned and gave his head of white hair a disbelieving shake. "Endri, what?"  
  
"Go."  
  
The human blinked in surprise. "But, I came to vis—"  
  
"Go!"  
  
"But, Endri—"  
  
"I said get the hell out of here!" Endri stood quickly, clenching his fists at his sides and staring down at his friend with almost hateful eyes.  
  
Kyle blinked up at him in shock. Slowly, he stood, mechanically doing what his friend wished, not really taking the time to think it over. He took a few wobbling steps away, but stopped suddenly. What was he doing? Leaving when he knew something was wrong with his friend and not trying to help him with it? Some best friend _he_ was turning out to be!  
  
Turning back, the human uttered one word, firmly. "No."  
  
Endri's head whipped in his direction, eyes glaring daggers. "What?"  
  
"I said, I'm staying! I'm staying until you tell me what's wrong with you!" Kyle shouted, concern turning to anger quickly.  
  
Growling, the ghost took two stomps forward until he was standing only a foot away from his friend. He locked glittering, green eyes with the human. "You want to know what's wrong with me?!" he hissed, suddenly radiating anger and frustration. "I'll fucking tell you what's wrong with me! My whole existence is what's wrong! My whole, meaningless, pitiful excuse for an existence is what's wrong! I can barely count the times on my right hand for when I've gotten a break from anything! Always, one fucking thing after another! And no one cares! No one gives one flying _fuck_ about me!" His voice cracked, and he paused a moment to catch his breath, his shoulders trembling just slightly.  
  
"I'm sick of it. I'm sick of existing day after day and getting nowhere. I'm sick of trudging on day after day feeling like there is nothing for me here or anywhere else. It's the same old shit every single day, and I'm _tired of it!_" His voice cracked again, the trembling travelling to his arms and hands now as well.  
  
Kyle stood with his mouth gaping, staring at his best friend as if he had just grown another head and a few indecently–placed tentacles. "Endriyou don't mean that."  
  
"Oh, don't I?! Read my lips, Kyle! I'm—getting—out!"  
  
The human shook his head in disbelief. "Butyou're already dead."  
  
Hysterical laughter burst forth from Endri's throat, and he reached up to hold one hand to his forehead as he laughed before running the fingers back through his long, blonde hair. "What, you think that since I'm dead, I can't die again? You think there's no way for a ghost to die—to cease to exist? Well, you're _wrong_, Kyle. I've _found_ a way. And I am going to _use_ it."  
  
"Wha—?! Endri, how—?"  
  
"Think about it. When my mother showed herself a few years ago and divvied her energy between me and my father, she ceased to exist because all of her power had been used up. Soif I expend my energy_all_ of itevery last drop_I_ will cease to exist as well. I'll finally be free! I'll finally not have to put up with this dreary existence any longer!"  
  
"You selfish bastard!" Kyle snapped. "Don't you care about the rest of us?! What about your dad? What about Lydia? What about _me?!_"  
  
Endri's once laughing expression quickly plummeted to anger once more. "Selfish?! I will tell you right now, I have _never_ been selfish _ever!_ _Always_, I have put others before myself in everything! Well, you know what? I don't care! I don't care about _anyone_ anymore! I'm _finally_ being selfish for _once_ in my entire existence, and it feels fucking great!" He grinned again, breathing heavily, clenching his fists at his sides. His mouth expressed happiness, but the rest of his body betrayed his anger and frustration.  
  
"I don't believe you. You have to care about someone! What about Claire?" Kyle argued.  
  
"Claire?" Endri chuckled. "Claire?!" He suddenly burst into more hysterical laughter, holding a hand over his stomach and leaning back, letting his hysteria carry off into the night. "_Claire?!_ That—that _bitch_ could care less about me, just as I could care less about her!"  
  
The human's mouth dropped open. "How can you say that? You've been dating for almost five years now!"  
  
"Not anymore. She left me about a week ago." Suddenly, the ghost became calm again, tilting his head a bit to the side in question. "Do you know what she told me?"  
  
Kyle could only shake his head dumbly.  
  
"I asked her why—why she would want to leave me. She told me because 'I wasn't what she needed.' Well, what the hell does _that_ mean?!" he growled. "I'm not what she needed?! What did she need then?! I asked her that too. Do you know what she said?"  
  
Again, the human shook his head 'no'.  
  
"She said she didn't know! Well, why the hell leave me if she didn't even know what she needed?! Apparently, it wasn't me, I'll tell you that!" His voice reached an unnatural high, and it almost cracked again at that point. "But I still wanted to know. I _needed_ to know if I'd done anything wrong, said anything wrong. She said no, it wasn't me at all. I asked her if it was because we started having sex. We had sex, did I ever tell you, Kyle? She was my very first, did you know that?"  
  
Kyle again shook his head.  
  
"Oh" He held his hands against his chest and fisted his white shirt. "And it was amazing! I'd never felt anything so wonderful, ever. When I was with her, I felt happy. One tiny shred of happiness. She was beautifulher body was perfectshe was so warm." He paused for a short time, allowing his face to harden again. "She said, no, of course not. Having sex wasn't the reason she was leaving me. I asked her about it again. I asked if she was sure because only after we started having sex did she begin to drift away from me. She denied it again. I pressed it. I was sure it was at least _part_ of the reason. I asked if I had performed badly, if I hurt her, if I made her feel uncomfortable. She hesitated then. I yelled for her to tell me, demanded it! And then she finally shouted back. Do you know what she told me?"  
  
Swallowing, Kyle kept his wide, blue eyes trained to the ghost's visage and shook his head 'no' once more.  
  
"She told mesh–she told me" Endri's body began to shake, and he took a wavering breath to steady himself. "She told me she couldn't stand having something cold and hard shoved into her!" he shouted, voice cracking. Stumbling over to close the space between them, he grabbed Kyle's lapels, staring wildly into his eyes. "I'm not _that_ cold, am I? I'll admit, I'm not the warmest thing in the world, but I'm not _that_ cold, right?!"  
  
"Of course not, Endri," the human admitted freely. "You have warmth to you. I can feel it from here."  
  
"Then why? Why?! Am I not attractive either? Am I some nasty rotting corpse that would repulse you?!"  
  
"No, not at all!"  
  
"Do _you_ think I'm attractive? Am I even worthy of you to look at?" Endri asked desperately, voice wavering.  
  
"EndriI—"  
  
"Tell me the truth!" he shouted, giving Kyle a light shake.  
  
The human stuttered for a moment before pulling some semblance of a sentence together. "WellI meanyes, Endri, you're attractive. I mean, look at you. Your hair is long and such a nice, light blonde. Blondes areare really attractive, ya know?"  
  
"Wh–What else? Is there anything else attractive about me?" The ghost looked almost desperate to have his friend give him an approving compliment, so Kyle continued on, hoping to calm Endri with a few kind words.  
  
"Well–umyyyour eyes. Your eyes are a really pretty green, and they sparkle. Damn, man, I–I'd love to have eyes like that! And–umyour ears arec–cute." He felt a little awkward complimenting his friend like that, but continued on anyway. Endri seemed to need it terribly, no matter who it came from. "Andshit, your body"  
  
"It's—?" The ghost leaned in closer, his eyes widening with childlike hope.  
  
"It's" Kyle faded out, mumbling something under his breath that even Endri, with his highly sensitive ears, could not hear.  
  
"What?"  
  
Kyle swallowed. "H–Hotit's hot. I mean, _damn!_ You're built like a fuckin' _tank_, Endri. Anybody'd kill to get with someone like you."  
  
"Would _you?_"  
  
The question came out of the blue and blindsided the human. His eyes widened exponentially, and he could only stare for a moment at the pleading, green eyes of his best friend. "M–Me?" He pointed to himself and swallowed. "Uh–uh w–well, I–uh" He swallowed again. "Y–You're a great friend and all, Endri"  
  
Endri's eyes fell in despair, his hands slipping from Kyle's shirt to fall limp at his sides.  
  
Kyle sighed and reprimanded himself. _He's just looking for reassurance, that's all. Just tell him yes, and maybe he'll be happy._ "EEndri, I" He swallowed. "S–Sure, I'd kill for ya." Shrugging, he feigned nonchalance, trying to make himself think that it was a common occurrence to tell his best male friend that he'd kill to sleep with him.  
  
Endri's eyes brightened again, and he smiled. "You would?" Looking off to the side, the light smile fell from his face as quick as it had come. "Then it was just her, thenright?"  
  
"Absolutely!"  
  
"She lied to me then! The sex bothered her because I was cold to herbecause I'm a ghost." The ghost turned and stumbled away, losing but regaining his footing as he made his way across the roof to sit down heavily upon it, facing away from his friend. He crossed his legs and leaned forward a bit, rocking ever so slightly. After a brief moment of silence, he suddenly cried out, "_It's not my fault!_" His voice cracked, and he crossed his arms over his chest and rocked more pronounced. "It's not my fault I'm dead! I was killed! I was _murdered!!_"  
  
Kyle rushed over as best he could without loosing his footing on the corrugated roof. He plopped down beside Endri and threw his arms around the ghost's shoulders for comfort. "_Shhh! Shhh!_"  
  
"No! _Always_, I've been a thing of fear and disgust because I'm a ghost!" he shouted, still rocking in the circle of his friend's arms. "Pushed away, segregated, screamed at, run from! It's not my fault! No one will give me a chance! No one cares! No one _ever_ cared!"  
  
"You're wrong, Endri," Kyle argued, something telling him that Endri must _not_ be allowed to think that way. "Your dad, Beetle, cares about you. Lydia cares about you. And I sure as hell know _I_ care about you!"  
  
"Kyle" The ghost's voice was weak, and he blinked dazedly at his friend.  
  
The human nodded. "Yes."  
  
Grimacing slightly, Endri dropped his gaze to his lap. "Kyle, youyou're my best friend. We've known each other for so long, it amazes me. Wh–Why you haven't left me like all the rest is lost on me."  
  
"I would never leave you, Endri," Kyle assured. "You're _my_ best friend. I honestly don't know what I'd do without you, ya know? Youit's because of you that I'm here today. You saved my life so many times, I lost count. Andand remember way back when we were partners on Earth, still looking for those keys?"  
  
Endri nodded.  
  
"Whether you realize it or not, you were always there for me. Especially when we first met. I was a real mess, remember? But, you were there for me in all your subtle ways—I could tell, even then. When I'd start to get paranoid or start to feel really depressed, you would stand that much closer to me, sit that much closer to me, say just the right thing to put me back on track. You supported me at every turn, and I'm so grateful for you."  
  
Quietly, the ghost mumbled, "I'm glad I could help."  
  
Kyle smiled. "It's my turn now, ya know? Now it's not me that needs the help, it's you. Endri, you don't need to throw everything away just because some bitch dumped you."  
  
Endri shook his head jerkily. "NoI wasn't good enough. I'm _not_ good enough. I was _never_ good enough! I will never _be_ good enough!! Not for her, not for you, not for _anyone!!_"  
  
The human grabbed his friend's shoulders and shook firmly, making sure to get his attention. "Stop talking shit! You certainly _are_ good enough! That's not even in question here! You just have to forget about her, Endri. She's a waste of time now. If you don't push her away and move on, you'll never be happy."  
  
"_H–Happy?_" Endri asked, voice barely a whisper.  
  
"Yes, happy."  
  
Staring over Kyle's shoulder at the stars, Endri whispered his thoughts, his voice instilled with insurmountable despair. "_Happiness has always**always** been denied me. It's such a rare, fleeting feeling for me._"  
  
"Stop joking. You have to be happy about something. You had to've been happy at _some_ point." _Keep him talking; just keep him talking. Make him remember the good things. He can't be allowed to think there's nothing for him. I won't let him._  
  
The ghost nodded slowly, still staring at the stars over his friend's shoulder. "Yes, II have felt happiness before. Only on occasion," he mumbled, seeming as though it was an incredible strain to gather his thoughts into a coherent statement. "There's only one _real_ time that I remember being truly happy for more than a few minutesfor more than a few days even. There was one point in my long, weary existence when I was truly happy. When I looked forward to another day. When my existence began to have a little meaning."  
  
"Tell me, Endriwhen was that?" Kyle asked quietly. _Yes, this is good. Just stay calm, pal._  
  
Endri sighed, finally looking over into Kyle's blue eyes. "When you and I were partners."  
  
A look of surprise drifted over the human's features, and he leaned back just a fraction.  
  
"I treasured the time we spent together," the ghost went on, blindly speaking his mind for probably the first time. "Travelling, searching, staying together constantly, eating that fast food you love so much, occasionally having a nice dinner, the conversations we had, just our plain companionship—I loved it all! I never wanted any of that compromised, so I never told you I was a ghost. You already know about that, though."  
  
Kyle nodded faintly.  
  
"Those yearsthat was the only time I can truly say I was happy. I was happy because I had someone. And youyou depended on me almost," Endri said, tilting his head to the side the way he always did. He was almost amazed by the words he himself uttered. "I cherished that feeling—that feeling of someone _needing_ me. At times II almost felt that I" He broke off, shaking his head. "But now, everything's changed. We do none of those things anymore. II hardly see you anymore. You rarely visit, and II somehow don't feel welcome in your home to visit you. I'm sorry, I can't explain it. I get thisnegative feeling from Pepper, like she doesn't really want me there, so I stopped after a while."  
  
"I wondered why you never came over anymore."  
  
"I'm sorry." He paused, mulling over some odd thing or another in his mind.  
  
Kyle wished desperately that he could know what the ghost was thinking. It seemed like he had a hard time gathering his thoughts.  
  
"It's just not the same anymore. You have things you need to do, and II have _nothing_ to do. I'm just wasting away."  
  
"Endri, if you want to see me, I'm more than happy to visit you. I will _make_ time to see you," the human argued. He hadn't realized his absence was affecting his friend so much.  
  
"No. No, I won't put you out because I want to see you. You'reyou're too busy for me." The ghost dropped his eyes to stare at Kyle's shoulder where his neck met his green T–shirt.  
  
"That's not true. I'd drop everything to see you."  
  
"Pepper would have none of that."  
  
"I don't care what Pepper says or thinks about you. You're my best friend, and I'd do anything for you!"  
  
"You would?" Endri asked, lifting his eyes once more to his friend's.  
  
"Yes, absolutely! I wanna be here for you, 'Dri," Kyle said lowly, softly using his friend's nickname to calm him even more so.  
  
The ghost's eyes brimmed with unshed tears. "YouI haven't heard that in so long."  
  
"You like it when I call you that?" the human half–whispered, making sure to keep his voice soft and calm.  
  
"Itit makes me feell–like you really care—care enough to call me something so familiar."  
  
Kyle smiled. "Of course I care. You're my best friend." He squeezed his best friend tighter, cupping his blonde head and tucking it into the crook of his neck. "Don't be upset, 'Dri. I'm here for you. From now on, I'll be right here for you, I prom—"  
  
"No, stop it! I can't take this!" Endri shouted, squirming from Kyle's restraining hug and standing. He wobbled over to the neon BJ's sign, saying along the way, "You're just trying to distract me from what I want to do! Saying everything I want to hear and making me remember the few things that were good about my afterlife. But that's all they are now! Memories! I'm sick of dwelling in the past! I'm sick of dwelling in the present! And I sure as hell don't want to stick around for the future!" He paused long enough to turn around and settle his eyes upon his friend. Tears slid down his pale cheeks, and his lower lip quivered.  
  
"Kyletell Fathertell himI love him. And know that you're my best friend, and II–I will always care so much for you too!" he finished quickly. He turned and made to take off into the air.  
  
Kyle charged forward, using his unsteady footing as an excuse to push his body faster. He gripped his hands onto Endri's shoulders and used his momentum to all his ability, slamming the ghost against the BJ's sign and sending sparks flying from loose wires and some exposed light fixtures. "Don't you _dare_ fuckin' leave!" he hissed, leaning all his weight against his friend to keep him pinned.  
  
"Let go of me!" Endri struggled but didn't use his full strength. He was still sane enough to know not to hurt his best friend. "Let go, Kyle!"  
  
"No! Not until you tell me what the hell is wrong with you!"  
  
"Let go, or I'llI'll push you!" he growled, bracing his hands on the man's shoulders.  
  
"Go ahead," Kyle challenged. "If you push me, I'll go flying off the Roadhouseand I'm sure, with your strength, I won't land on that little outcrop below. I'll keep on goingstraight down to Sandworm Land. I wonder if I'd survive the fall?" he asked, tilting his head to the side, sounding genuinely curious. "If I did, I'd never be able to walk again. I'd probably end up a vegetable in a hospital bed, though. But if you really want me to let go so badby all means_push_ me." His blue eyes stared intensely into Endri's green ones, not backing down in the slightest.  
  
The ghost growled, baring his teeth and put pressure on Kyle's shoulders. But his hands shook violently, torn between the need to be free and the need to not hurt his friend.  
  
The human's eyes narrowed, knowing he had him. "Do it," he hissed. "I won't let go any other way. Not unless you tell me what's wrong. Something had to have happened to tip you off like this, 'Dri. I wanna know what it is. And I'm not leaving until I find out. Show me, Endri! Show me what's inside that hurt you so bad that you'd want to wipe yourself out!" Between his shouts, Kyle shoved the ghost's body back against the sign, making more sparks fly from the jostled wires.   
  
"No! No, you don't want to see what's inside me! _I_ don't want to see it!" Endri shrieked, looking very panicked at the request. "My afterlife has been one big smack in the face! I never had a chance, not once! Only with you did I have some semblance of a slightly normal lifestyle. That was it! You're the only one who's stuck by me for so long—"  
  
"So let me _continue_ to stick by you, dammit! You've done so much for me, now _let_ me repay you! Let me be here for you! You know just about everything about me, and I hardly know _anything_ about you still! Let me in! Let me _in_, dammit! Tell me what happened to you! Fuckin' let me see what's wrong! Let me help you! _Let—me—in!_" Kyle shouted in his friend's face, slamming his body against the sign with each word.  
  
Endri's entire body shook, and he brokenly leaned into his friend, dropping his head against the human's shoulder and sagging, unable to support his body any longer. Kyle slid down to the Roadhouse roof with him, sitting them both to their knees and holding the ghost's chest against his.  
  
A bitten off sob spilled through Endri's lips before he could catch the entire thing, but once it escaped, more tumbled forward as if the floodgates had been opened. The last of the ghost's strength seeped from his muscles, and he sagged fully against his friend, fisting his hands into the front of the man's green shirt. His shoulders lurched with each sob, and the tears blinded his vision to where he could only squeeze his eyes shut and let them come.  
  
Kyle soothed him quietly, holding him close. There was no way he would let go now, no matter how strange it felt to hold his crying, ghostly friend. But, he had done it before about five years ago when the ghost had his first fight with Claire. He had been upset, and it had taken a little persuading to get him to release his pain in the form of tears. But even then, he wasn't so broken as he was now. For some reason, the ghost seemed to have reached the end of his ropeand it was so very painful to continue holding on.  
  
Kyle slipped forward, feeling the awkwardness fading in light of the need to help his friend. He slid his knee between Endri's legs, forcing them apart just slightly so he could get closer and sit more comfortably. The ghost only continued to cling to him like he was some sort of lifeline, not seeming to care how close they were, actually pulling on Kyle's shirt to get closer. His body shook weakly with each wrenching cry, and the human sunk his fingers into Endri's blonde hair and massaged at the back of his neck with one hand and kept a firm grip on his back with the other.  
  
"_Shhhh_" he cooed softly, gently cupping the back of his head and lightly nuzzling against his pointed ear. His heart was practically breaking for his friend, the ghost's sorrowful sobs making his throat tighten. "I'm here. I'm here for you always. I'll never push you away. I'll never run from you. I'll always be your best friend Oh, _shhhh_"  
  
Endri only continued to sob, clinging tightly to his friend. Slow minutes passed that way, and Kyle could think of nowhere he would rather be than right there. At that moment, he was so very grateful for deciding to stop over that night. His friend needed him, and he would be there for him no matter what, just like he promised. The ghost meant so much to him. Kyle would be lost without him.  
  
Frowning, the human opened his eyes that had closed when he began massaging Endri's back and looked past his shoulder at the ever–lit BJ's sign behind him. Something wasn't quite right aboutsomething. Something was different, but he just couldn't put his finger on it. It wasn't the sign itself—that was just something for Kyle to train his eyes on to allow thought easy passage through his mind. No, something else was amiss.  
  
The shuddering body in his arms shifted, and Endri leaned back to look up into the human's face.  
  
Kyle repressed a strangled gasp. Endri hadchanged!  
  
The once large, muscle–bound, blonde man had regressed into a skinny, frail–looking boy! His blonde hair was short but shaggy, laying in almost greasy layers about his small head. His once abundant muscles were completely gone, leaving in their place practically nothing but pale skin and fragile bones. Tears stained his little cheeks, and he sniffled weakly. To all appearances, Endri was now only about eight or nine years old!  
  
The boy pulled his hands before his gaze, also surprised at his sudden change. He looked them over front and back; touched his chest, face, and hair, even his little pointed ears. Then something seemed to click inside him, and he reached his hands back to Kyle's shirt, gripping weakly. He sniffled for a moment, simply staring at his surprised friend, as if the look itself could answer all the human's questions.  
  
"This is how old I was when I found out I was a ghost," Endri finally spoke. His voice was high–pitched, not having reached puberty yet.  
  
Kyle's jaw worked with no sound for a moment as he stared at his friend. His blue eyes scanned rapidly over the boy's body, taking in how small he was compared to his grown size. Even to the human's own size, he would only come up to his waistline if they were standing.  
  
He heard and felt the spatter of something dripping onto his jeans and looked down. "You're bleeding!" Kyle gasped, tenderly running his fingertips along young Endri's forearm where a deep cut resided, oozing dark red blood.  
  
The boy looked at it as well, surprised at first, then felt the same click as before. "That's how I found out I was a ghost," his high voice said matter–of–factly, gazing back into his friend's eyes. "I saw a man get killed in the village. His blood was bright and came out quick, and I put it in my head. Then I saw a killed bear in the woods. I cut it open to see if it bleeded the same way. It bleeded slow, and the blood was thick and dark red, and I put that in my head too."  
  
Kyle blinked in astonishment. It seemed that Endri had not only regressed to _look_ like a little boy, but his mind and knowledge had as wellat least partly. He literally spoke like he hadn't learned proper English and grammar yet.  
  
"Then I started to see a bunch a differences from me and the other people in the village," young Endri went on. "Mama and Papa wouldn't tell me why I was different. They just said I was special, and I was gived to 'em as a gift 'cause they wasn't able to have babies. But I needed to know more.  
  
"Some boys I played with talked about bein' alive once. They said when you was alive, your heart beat inside you, and you could feel it all over. ButI _couldn't_ feel it all over. It made me think. I pulled outa my head Mama and Papa telling me that my _real_ papa killed lots a people in his village, even my real mama. So I started to think even more.  
  
"So one night, I took my Papa's knife and ran into the woods to my secret place. I sat there and took the knife and did my arm." The boy made a slicing motion across his forearm, right over the cut already marring his pale skin. "I watched the blood to see what it would do. It didn't come out quick and bright like the man in the village. It came out slow and dark like the bear in the woods.  
  
"I put things all together in my head, then. I figured my real papa killed _me_ too. So I got mad at him. I wished he was still alive so I could kill him again! He killed my mama! He killed _me!_ I wanted revenge for us! So the next night, I took my stuff I had and left my village forever. I–I never saw Mama or Papa again."  
  
The little ghost leaned forward and cried anew. He switched positions, spinning his small legs forward and scooting up to sit fully in Kyle's lap, one leg to each side and bent back at the knee. He cuddled as close as he could against the human and rested his weeping eyes to the man's shoulder, fisting his shirt tighter and trembling as though cold. Blindly, Kyle reached up and comforted him, able to wrap his arms fully around the small body in his lap. He spaced out for just a moment, and that moment was long enough for Endri's body to change yet again, his crying voice growing slightly deeper.  
  
He backed away again, older than before, but still not his right age. His hair was longer, but reached only his chin, the bangs dangling limply in his tear–streaked face. His body was still very thin but was more lean than scrawny that time, still with no muscles, and the nasty gash in his arm was gone. His face was boyishly handsome, looking about seventeen or eighteen.  
  
The ghost looked at his hands again and ran them over his hair and face. Realization struck home once more, and he gazed up to lock eyes with Kyle. "This is how old I was when I first fell in love." He held the human's shirt shakily, his entire body trembling in the man's lap. "She was beautiful. She was everything. _Kyla_" he whispered. "Her name was like soft bells on the windher voice was a sweet melody sung by the most revered choir on Earth. Her body was perfect—hair like the deepest red sunset, face of an angel, eyes like the sea after a storm. I _loved_ her. I loved her with all my being and more." He paused for a second. "But when she told me she loved me as wellit feltwrong. I knew she shouldn't love me like that. She loved only what she _thought_ I was. She didn't know what I _really_ was. And I so wanted her to love me for _who_ I was. I thought for sure she'd understand. If she already loved me as much as she said, then she should understand and accept me. Butbut I was wrong." The teenaged ghost's voice cracked weakly, and he dropped his gaze to Kyle's chest, sadness permeating his being even more so.  
  
"Back then, no one could understand things like me. Andsh–she was no exception. She screameds–screamed right in my face. It scared me, and I backed away. Th–That's when she ran. She ran so fast_away_ from me. K–KylaKyla, my beautiful angel, why did you have to leave me like that?" he moaned, sobbing once more and leaning forward to rest his head to Kyle's shoulder. "_Why?_"  
  
Endri cried again, his voice reaching new heights of sorrow and clutching to his friend tighter than ever before. Kyle soothed him has best he could, realizing that what the ghost was going through was some strange way of him opening up and telling the human about his past, helping him understand all that had happened to bring him to tonight. And, from what Kyle could tell, Endri was not controlling himself at all, seeing as he looked surprised each time he changed before he realized how old he had become and where he was in his afterlife.  
  
Again, Endri pulled back from his friend. His body was now beginning to show some bulk, but no clear definition was evident. His hair fell down to just graze the tops of his shoulders, the bangs in front more pronounced. Now, he looked about twenty, maybe even twenty–one.  
  
He gazed at his hands, then brought them to his chest. "This is me when I studied with my _sensei_ in Japan." The ghost's voice was even deeper, almost—but not quite—back to normal. "I lived there for over 100 years, but the time spent learning from my _sensei_ was the best. I was actually happy then, like I was happy when I spent time with you. I loved that land, their culture, their simple way of living. Even the language was beautiful.  
  
"I was an odd stranger in the land, but Master Kashikoi didn't care. He took me in and took it upon himself to school me in his language and culture. He also schooled me in the matter of self defense—of Martial Arts. He said I was a natural. I picked up on things quickly, getting the moves down only after one or two times being shown, and I would improvise upon them. Soon, I was able to defeat my _master_ even.  
  
"But he taught me a valuable lesson. I can never rely solely on my moves. I must use my other 'special talents' to aid me as well. At the time, I never knew what he meant, but years later, I realized that he was no old fool. He knew I was a ghost, but he took me in anywayfed me, clothed me, taught me all he knew, and was like another father to me. I cherished my time with _Sensei_, knowing he was already very old. He was the first of only two people on Earth to ever accept me for who I really was.  
  
"One night, I was practicing my _katas_ later than usual. When I was finished, I took a small break and sat down at my master's desk. On there was a very old scroll, just sitting alone in the middle. I picked it up and read over it, becoming more excited as I went along. After years of trying to find a way to achieve revenge on my father for murdering me, I had found my answer! That scroll described the worm gates and keys, the Neitherworld and how it worked, and even had maps of its lands, showing where each was and where each gate was located in them. I stowed the scroll away in my _gi_ and left a note for Master Kashikoi, apologizing deeply for my abrupt disappearance. I told him how I cared for him and thanked him profusely for his kindness and the knowledge he generously bestowed upon me. Then, I left, not knowing I'd never return to that place again.  
  
"Only after I stood back years later and took an analyzing look at how that particular scroll came to be sitting alone on his desk when I was the only one therehe was a sly old man." The ghost smirked. "He knew of my desire for revenge on a man who could no longer be touched, who could no longer be hurt, even if I _could_ get my hands on him. He must have known a lot more than I realized." Endri's eyes dropped to Kyle's chest, staring blankly. "I found outthat very same night I lefthe died. That scroll was his parting gift to me. He never even read my note. He was already gone. I searched all over the Neitherworld after I arrived here, but I've never found him. I've never been able to tell him all that was in my letterhow much he meant to a lost soul such as me. I miss him greatly."  
  
Endri bowed his blonde head, but did not cry. His hands drifted to Kyle's forearms and gripped him there firmly. The human twisted his hands to hold the ghost's arms also, giving him reassurance that he was still there and wasn't leaving. Endri's body bulked up before Kyle's eyes. Muscles tightened and compacted under taut skin, hair lengthened to almost normal, leaving the ghost looking about twenty–four.  
  
He seemed to already know where he was, looking directly up into the human's eyes and staring. "This is me when I met _you_, Kyle," he said quietly. "And after I met you and got to really know youthings changed for me. With you, I wanted everything to be perfect. I would take my time with youshow you the kind of person I really was: gentle, not harsh all the time; kind, not hateful; eveneven a little caringif not loving." Endri looked as though he was about to blush, and he gently tossed his head to the side, looking down at the roof, averting his eyes almost shyly. He seemed to only then realize that he sat intimately upon his friend's lap. An embarrassed blush spread over his cheeks, but he just chose to not call attention to the situation, choosing instead to go on recounting his past. That was more important anyway.  
  
"I had shielded away so many of my emotions, I thought I could never feel some of them again. But youyou brought them all out of me without me even realizing it." He brought his eyes back to Kyle's face and looked upon him intensely. "You showed me how to _feel_ again. You showed me how to care for another person again, even though I never wanted to. You wormed your way into my heart, you bastard, and I _still_ haven't forgiven you for it!"  
  
Kyle swallowed nervously and slid his arms around the ghost's back, making sure that if he tried to jump up, it wouldn't be without a fight.  
  
He never knew he meant so much to Endri.  
  
"Forfor a time, II _hated_ you for it," the ghost continued, baring his teeth in a snarl. "I was so angry because you made me feel when I swore to myself I _never_ would again. Feeling causes only pain! Caring for another causes only suffering! I _didn't_ want it again! But then you'd look at meand smileand point out something on your computer or put your arm around me and say, 'Hey, 'Driwhy don't we go out and treat ourselves to a nice dinner. We've been working hard lately, and you look like you could use a break.' And I would smile—_smile!_" His voice was airy and disbelieving even of his own previous actions. "Then I would nod and follow you to whatever restaurant you wanted. Only _you_ could get me to smile like that. Only _you_ could get me to submit to your every whim. _Damn_ you, Kyle! You" His entire body trembled violently, and Kyle tightened his grip.  
  
Reaching up, Endri touched madly shaking fingers to the human's cheek, tilting his head a fraction to the side in that way of his, almost curiously. Kyle held still, afraid to move away and afraid to speak. Even if he _did_ try to say something, he had no idea what it would be.  
  
"_And you're **still** the only one who can make me smile like that,_" Endri whispered. "_You're **still** the only one to get me to submit to your every whim._ And I _still_ hate you for it!" he shouted, voice reaching another high peak and cracking, releasing the tears to spill down and trace the dried paths of the previous ones. "But II don't blame you. You didn't know you were doing ityou were innocent. It's _my_ fault. You were just yourselfit was _I_ who endeared you to me. You di–didn't know. _Shhh_it's all right."  
  
Shaking fingers caressed Kyle's cheek as Endri tried to calm him when the human needed no calming at all. It was _the ghost_ who needed calmingand needed it desperately. Whatever was wrong with him, it was messing with his emotions and actions, making him do and say things he never would have considered before. He was almost behaving like a madman—ranting and raving one second, and soft and demure the next.  
  
"Tell me something, Kyle," he went on, his speech trembling from his lips. "H–Have I shown you the kind of person I really am? Have I shown you that I'm more gentle than harshmore kind than hatefuleven a little caring? H–Have I shown you that I'm more than what I appear to be?"  
  
Kyle stared for a moment, forcing himself to calm his disbelief and be the sturdy rope that Endri needed to hold onto. But what the ghost had saidit shocked him. To think that he had such a strong pull over Endriit wasastonishing! But that whole time, the ghost only wanted to have just one close friend out of all the hundreds of years where he could find none at all—just _one_ person that was different from the rest. And that person Endri chose to be close to, to share everything with, to offer all he had, was Kyle.  
  
Wow, what a good feeling it was to know that! To know that out of millions of Humans the ghost had met over the centuries, he was the only one that meant a hill of beans felt so damn good!  
  
The whole time, the ghost's shaking hand never left Kyle's cheek, and it felt oddly nice to have it there, like it was some bit of reassurance, though for what, the human didn't know.  
  
"Yes, 'Driyou have," Kyle almost whispered, making sure his voice was steady and strong.  
  
Endri exhaled gratefully and lowered his head with relief, letting his hand fall to his friend's arm again. His body shifted slightly, but not much. It was barely noticeable. The ghost looked back up, the tears still on his cheeks.  
  
"And so here we are. Now you know more about me, Kyle. I've opened up for you. I've let you into a place no one has ever come close to. You know some of my secrets. You know what hell my afterlife has been, but even from what you've seen, from what I've revealed to you tonight, that isn't even _scratching_ the surface," he grumbled, obvious distaste for himself in every word he spat.  
  
"One thing after another denied to me. Happiness dangled before my grasp then tugged away before my hands could take hold. And I have done so much for everyone else after I changed for the better. I've bent over backwards to make sure others wouldn't feel awkward in my presence. I've sacrificed so much of myself for everyone else that I have nothing left for _me_ anymore. I'm spread too thin. I have nothing left. So it's time I stop. Stop this pointless façade. I'm tired of pretending I'm happy. I'm tired of stowing my feelings from the light of day. I'm tired of _existing!_"  
  
Endri ripped himself away from Kyle, standing shakily and backpedaling a few steps, almost bumping back into the BJ's sign. The human jumped up right after him, ignoring all the pricking tingles in his sleeping legs and grabbing the ghost's shirt tightly.  
  
"Don't you dare! You just sat here and practically told me you _love_ me, and now your gonna pop off and ace yourself?!" he shouted, pulling everything into one sentence and throwing it at his friend.  
  
"No! No, I don't _dare_ think it could be that! Everyone I've ever loved has _destroyed_ me!" Endri shrieked, cracking his voice harshly. Any more abuse, and his speech might never be the same. "I _can't_ love you too! You're too important to me! If I let myself love you, _you'll_ destroy me too! Then there would be absolutely _nothing_ of me left! I _can't_ love you! I can't love _anyone!_" He drifted off for a long moment, breathing heavily, staring into Kyle's immovable blue eyes.  
  
"Maybe at one point, I would have admitted itI would have gone through some kind of pact with you to make you mymy blood brother."  
  
Kyle's mouth hung open in surprise.  
  
"I hate to disappoint you, but that's as far as my love went for you," the ghost went on, shaking his head. "And that time has passed anyway. Now it's impossible. You have too much else in your life to include me in the mix."  
  
"Don't be ridiculous! I've always had a place for you in my life!" Kyle hissed, giving his friend a firm shake.  
  
"Maybe so, but things can't be stopped now. It's too latetoo late for everything!"  
  
Endri tried to take a step back and pull away, but the human only gripped his shirt tighter. "Don't you dare try to fuckin' leave! I won't let you do this, Endri! This isn't you! You would never take your own life!"  
  
The ghost laughed bitterly, giving his friend an empty smirk. "Too latesomeone has _already_ taken it away from me. Stolen from me _twice_ now."  
  
Kyle winced. "Youyou know what I mean. Please, 'Dri, don't leave. Promise me. You said I can get you to do anything, well I want you to stay right here and work this out with me."  
  
Endri only shook his head sadly, dropping his eyes. "I'm sorry, Kyle. Not this time. It won't work anymore. I've already thought about this for a long time. Ever since I saw my mother vanish into oblivion, I've been wishing I could join herjoin her in that nothingnessthat bliss of not being." He trailed off, staring blindly, but snapped back a second later. "Now, I'm finally ready. Get out of my way." He pushed Kyle back as gently as possible, but firmly as well.  
  
The human tried desperately to cling to the ghost's shirt, but Endri snapped it out of his grasp and lifted into the air before Kyle could reach back and grab him.  
  
"No! Endri, please, no! You can't do this!"  
  
Looking down on his friend's panicked expression from above, the ghost sadly shook his head again. "I'm sorry, Kyle. I wishI wish things could have been differentI really do. But it's impossible now. Things are already set in their paths. We can't go back and change them." He paused, watching Kyle pant desperately, staring up at him. A pang of emotional pain zipped through his heart, and Endri grimaced against it, feeling the tears sting his eyes again.  
  
"Take care of yourselfPartner." He turned and sent his body through the atmosphere, sailing away toward the dark horizon.  
  
"No, dammit! _No!_" Kyle shrieked, running forward. He slipped on the corrugated roofing and slid down over the side, a startled shout erupting from his throat.  
  
When he thought he'd be in for a broken leg for sure, Endri was there, catching him up in his arms and floating gently down to the ground. They stood there, in front of the Roadhouse, for a moment, arms locked around each other's shoulders, Kyle still feeling that rush of panic.  
  
"_Are you all right?_" Endri whispered.  
  
The human chuckled shakily, keeping his hands fisted into the ghost's shirt in the back. "See? I–I can't take care of myself, 'Dri. I need you here to watch out for my clumsy ass."  
  
Endri smiled and pulled away enough to see into Kyle's blue eyes. "_Kyle_" he whispered, "_II'll never—_" his voice caught in his throat, and the tears just poured out. He leaned in and placed a chaste kiss to Kyle's forehead. "_G–Goodbye, Kyle. Think of me._" he whispered. Without another word or warning, Endri twisted away and blasted off the ground before Kyle could even blink, his trail of blue energy disappearing into the distance behind him.  
  
"_No_" the human breathed. "No! Endri!" He ran forward as far as he could before having to stop at the very edge of the pillar of rock supporting the Roadhouse. "Endri, you bastard, come back here! How dare you do this to me?! You son of a bitch, come back! _Come back!!_"  
  
The maroon door to the Roadhouse creaked open and Beetlejuice stepped out, quickly finding Kyle at the ledge with his eyes. "What the hell is all the yelling out here?!"  
  
The human whirled around, wasting absolutely no time. "Beetle! You have to stop Endri!"  
  
"What the hell's that boy up to now?" the ghoul asked, crossing his arms over his striped chest, much like his son.  
  
"He's gonna commit suicide!" Kyle shrieked, running over.  
  
Beetlejuice froze for a moment, worry leaping up to let butterflies loose in his stomach. No, that couldn't possibly be right. Endri? His son? Committing suicide? That just wasn't possible.  
  
"What? He's already dead, how can he—"  
  
"He's gonna drain all his energy until he doesn't exist anymore! Stop him!"  
  
At that point, others had joined the ghoul and human outside. Lydia stood at Beetlejuice's one side, and Jacques and Ginger occupied his other. The Monster Across the Street meandered over the rickety bridge with his dog, Poopsie, in tow, brought over by the shouting.  
  
As soon as Lydia heard Endri was trying to erase himself from existence, she gasped and tugged on her lover's arm. "Stop him, BJ!"  
  
Beetlejuice just couldn't believe it. He _wouldn't_ believe it. Not _his_ son! _His_ son would never be reduced to such an act! "But, why would he want to—"  
  
"That isn't important now!" Kyle shouted. "You have to find him and get him to listen to reason!"  
  
This had to be some joke. That's right, some joke that Kyle and Endri were playing on him. Wellhe could play along for now. "Okay, okay, where did he head off to?"  
  
The human immediately pointed off to the north.  
  
Beetlejuice closed his eyes, reaching out with his otherworldly senses to feel for his son's energy. The boy's power spiked strangely, catching the ghoul's attention and giving away his position. Beetlejuice smirked, but couldn't keep his worry far at bay.  
  
"Everybody, stand around me. He might need a little encouragement, and if he sees all you guys, he might realize he's being stupid."  
  
All the friends stood close together, and with a snap of the ghoul's fingers, they all vanished in a mist of yellow.  
  
  
  
  


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I know it was pretty long, but everything that was in there, needed to be in there and wasn't easily separated into parts. I was really waiting for my one friend to edit this for me before I posted it, but, I'm impatient, and after literally months of being unable to get her to do it as she has no time to spare (which is okay ^_^), I decided to go ahead and post it sans editing by someone not me. :P I went through with a fine toothed comb looking for errors and wording problems and anything else, but I'm not perfect, so there's probably gonna be mistakes here and there. Just try to look over it.  
  
Thanks for reading this far, and please spare a moment to review. I hope to see some of my old reviewers again! *hugs you guys if you came back* Until next chapter! *waves* 


	2. Into the Mouth of Madness

A story about life, love, courage, and testing ultimate friendship. What happens to Beetlejuice and his friends when one of their own falls into despair and changes completely? Nothing will ever be the same. This story is an **Alternate Universe** set five years after _Dark Shadows_ in the year 2008, and does **not** follow the intended story line. I repeat, this story does **NOT** follow the intended story line of the two stories (_A New Beginning_ & _Dark Shadows_) included in my _Beetlejuice Afterlife_ series, which is why it is simply titled "Mania" and not "Beetlejuice Afterlife – Mania". If I have someone ask me why I would put this as a sequel, I'll ignore them, because, right here it says: **THIS STORY IS NOT A SEQUEL**. This story was just bursting to be written, but I have no intention to make it part of my previous series. It just happens to use that series' events as a prelude. I hope there is no confusion.  
  
  
Hi, all! *waves* Thanks so much for my first reviews, Wanda, Maya Beebop, SpicyHollyElf, and Li-Leah from deviantArt.com. ^_^ They mean so much!  
  
I'm going away for two weeks AGAIN, so don't expect any postings till I get back. I figured I'd leave you all with a new chapter before I go though. :P Aren't I nice? *sigh*  
  
Well, anyway, please enjoy this new chapter! *shoos you off to read*  
  


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Mania  
Spencers13 – March 2003–March 2004  
R – Drama – Angst 

  
  
  
  
Chapter Two – Into the Mouth of Madness  
  
  
  
  
  
Three people, a skeleton, a spider, and a monster with his dog appeared from a yellow mist near the center of Weeping Woods. Immediately, their attention was drawn to a bright aura of blue energy glowing not far away, near the pond formed from the Weeping Willow's tears.  
  
Swirling in a two—foot—wide doughnut shape around Endri Juice was a powerful vortex, sucking away his energy bit by bit. That knowledge was lost to all but Beetlejuice, but even so, he still didn't want to believe that _his_ son could be draining his energy away to extinguish himself from existence. It had to be fake. It had to be just some pretty light show meant for his amusement and a good joke. It couldn't be  
  
Beetlejuice gulped.  
  
A wave of energy looked as though it had been torn from Endri's body at that point, flowing off of him from head to toe in a blue streak of light and causing the vortex to ignite in a bright flash before going back to normal and continuing to suck out the ghost's energy little by little.  
  
Kyle burst forward at the sight, panicked. "Endri!"  
  
A pair of cool, red—tipped fingers latched to his shoulders and held him back. "Don't get near him!" Beetlejuice hissed, loud enough for everyone but Endri to hear. "I think he's made an energy vortex around himself. If you get too close, it'll suck _your_ energy away too!"  
  
Kyle shook himself free with a twist of his shoulders. "Okay, okay! I won't. Beetle, can't you do anything?"  
  
The ghoul shook his head sadly. "Only _he_ can undo that vortex."  
  
"Pleasecan't you talk to him?" the human begged, thinking he could do no more to help after failing at the Roadhouse.  
  
"I'll try." Beetlejuice stepped forward until he was only about ten feet away from his son and the powerful vortex spinning around his body. "Hey, Endri. How's it goin'?"  
  
The ghost lifted his blonde head and let the long hair blow out of his face to reveal all the tears of pain and anguish still upon his cheeks. A wind blew around only his body and the immediate grass beneath his feet, but nowhere else, generated by that vortex.  
  
Beetlejuice stifled a gasp of alarm at the distraught state his son was in. He had never seen the boy so utterly depressed or emotional. It just didn't look right on his handsome face. But, no, it was just a joke, right? A clever act. It had to be.  
  
"_Go away._" Endri moaned, his voice empty and broken–nothing like it used to be. It was not like him at _all_.  
  
Finally, the gravity of the situation took hold, and it hit Beetlejuice square between the eyes. But still, he had to act like everything was normal. His son was just upsettreat it like that, and maybe things will be fine after all.  
  
"Endriwhat'sa matter? Why are you doing this?"  
  
"_I've already told Kyle,_" his voice moaned again, his eyes swimming with tears that pooled then fell, then pooled again.  
  
"What did you tell Kyle?" the ghoul asked calmly, knowing he had to remain that way. He had to be a solid figure for his son to see, to latch onto.  
  
"_I'm sick of repeating myself._"  
  
"You wanna erase yourself 'cause you're tired of repeating yourself?"  
  
"No! I want to cease to exist because my afterlife is one, big, fucking joke!" Endri closed his eyes and forced another blast of energy from his body, allowing it to be pulled into the vortex, feeding it.  
  
"What're you talking about?!" Beetlejuice shouted, trying to get through to his son, trying to keep him talking.  
  
"I'm sick of it!" Endri spat. "Sick of existing, sick of trying day after day to carry on when all I want to do is close my eyes forever and forget all the shit I've ever been through!"  
  
"Endri, I know you had it tough before you made it to the Neitherworld, but that's no reason to bump yourself off now!"  
  
"My troubles have only _followed_ me to the Neitherworld! I can't rid myself of them! But this way, I _can!_"  
  
"_What_ troubles?! I've _never_ heard you complain since you came here!"  
  
"That's because it's _expected_ of me to hold my tongue about my feelings," the ghost growled, fisting his fingers and tensing his muscles. "I have always done it before, so to change would cause an uneasy stir in everyone. No, I am 'Endri, the uncaring bastard son of the unscrupulous Beetlejuice'. _That's_ who I am known as in the Neitherworld! I could never find acceptance on Earth, and now, even among my own kind, I can't find it! There is no place for me! I belong nowhere!"  
  
Kyle stood off to the side and back a few paces, listening to everything his friend uttered. It all seemed to be coming together. Endri's inability to find acceptance beyond a small group of people in either world; his long and lonely afterlife spent on Earth, feeling the hatred, fear, and scorn from Humans the entire timeit all would have driven _Kyle_ over the edge as well.  
  
"Don't be stupid!" Beetlejuice shouted. "You belong here–with all of us!" He pointed to Lydia, Jacques, Ginger, the Monster, and Kyle. "Don't we mean _anything_ to you?!"  
  
Endri snorted in contempt. "Even all of _you_ push me away in your own ways. None of you really talk to meor listen. Even all of _you_ think I am nothing but an 'emotionless robot' that goes about his same routine every day. I'm not deaf. I hear the things you say behind my back." He faded off, more tears slipping down to drip from his chin.  
  
"Endri–"  
  
"Leave me!" he shouted, squeezing his eyes tight and pulling his fists up near his chest, turning his head down and to the side. "There is nothing for me here or anywhere! I have no one and nothing!" He sent another pulse of energy from his body into the vortex, trying to hasten things along.  
  
Kyle rushed forward to stand beside Beetlejuice. "That isn't true!" he shouted. He mustn't let his friend do this! A world without Endri: he couldn't imagine it, not after they had been through so much together for so long.  
  
"Isn't it, Kyle?" the ghost asked, relaxing his stance once more. "_Hn_ Prove me wrong. _Prove_ it. _Prove_ I have someone, something, that's worth staying for."  
  
The human's jaw moved, but no words spilled from his lips.  
  
Endri chuckled emptily, closing his eyes and shaking his head. "I rest my case." Another wave of energy left his body. His sparkling but dulling green eyes stared over at his best friend and Beetlejuice, ignoring the people behind them.  
  
"Father_Papa_."  
  
The ghoul's eyes bulged, and he gasped at the endearment never before spoken from his son's lips.  
  
"I'm at least glad I got to know you for a time. I'm glad I discovered _you_ were not the one who began the chain reaction of my undoing. I wish our personalities didn't clash so much. I wish we could have gotten along better, butI doubt that was ever meant to happen. We are entirely too different.  
  
"Perhapsif things were differentif I had not become trapped on Earthperhaps then, if _you_ had raised me instead of humansif I had grown up _here_ instead of on Earthyes, perhaps then, I would not be here now. I might have been happy. I might have been this fun—loving guy that everyone either despised or loved, like you. But, no, I'm glad things have turned out the way they have. OtherwiseI would never have met Kyle and saved him." He tilted his head, resting his eyes to Kyle. "At least _he_ needed mefor a while."  
  
Endri paused for a moment, closing his eyes. He extended his arms slightly forward and to the side as if offering something, then another bit of energy pulsed outward to get sucked away into oblivion. Opening his eyes once more, he looked more tired than only a moment ago.  
  
"My one regret is that I'll never see you again, Kyle. You've been so good to me over the years. Take care of yourself for me. I wish I could say I'll miss youbut I won't." His eyes drifted shut, sending out another big wave of energy to get sucked away.  
  
"No, Endri, you stupid bastard!" Kyle shouted, jogging forward a few steps.   
  
"Kyle, watch it!" Beetlejuice yelled, reaching out.  
  
  
  
The small group of people behind them shifted forward nervously, settling about fifteen feet away. Things were getting too dangerous, too edgy. Something drastic was bound to happen, and soon.  
  
  
  
Kyle ignored the warning and stood closer, stopping only five feet from the swirling vortex around his best friend. "You _do_ have something, 'Dri! You have someone! Please, don't do this!"  
  
Endri blinked wearily, looking sleepy. "W—Who is it? What's worth k—keeping me in this hell of an existence?"  
  
The human paused for a moment, unsure if he could really bring himself to utter the words.  
  
Closing his eyes once more, the ghost only turned his head a bit to the side and sent out another pulse, that one smaller than the rest.  
  
_If I don't say it now, I'll regret it for the rest of eternity–I just know it!_ "_Me_, Endri! You have _me!_"  
  
Endri opened his eyes tiredly and turned back. "Y—You? No, Kyle. I—I _had_ you onceno longer."  
  
"No, you're wrong!" the human argued desperately. "You _still_ have me! You said you liked how I depended on you when we were partners. Well, whether you believe it or not, I _still_ depend on you!"  
  
"Noy—you don't. You h—have no room for me any longer."  
  
"Bullshit!" Kyle hissed. "You're just trying to convince yourself that! Now, listen to me! Have I _ever_ lied to you?"  
  
The ghost paused for a moment, actually thinking it over. "No."  
  
"Then why don't you believe me when I tell you I need you here?! Why don't you believe when I tell you I care?! We're partners, aren't we? We're always there for each other! So why are you trying to take yourself away from me?!"  
  
Endri shook his head weakly. "We aren—no longer partnersn—not since we first arrived here."  
  
"_Arg!_ Don't you even give one shit about me anymore?!"  
  
"Of course I do!"  
  
"Then why are you quitting on me?!"  
  
"You don't need me anymore! You have so much else, there is no more room for me!"  
  
"That's a lie!"  
  
The ghost shook his head again. "Nono, I don't want to argue with you, Kyle. Not now. Pleasej—just leave me. I—I don't want you to see me like this."  
  
Frustrated, Kyle threw his arms down to his sides, clenching his fists. "Fine, dammit! I'll leave. I'll leave and hate you for this forever, Endri!"  
  
A saddened look crossed Endri's features, and he lifted a languid arm to extend his fingers. He reached out far enough to brush the digits through the blue vortex of energy. It felt like liquid fire slipping over his skin, sapping more of his strength.  
  
"Nop—please don't hate me."  
  
The human reached up, pointing an accusing finger at his friend. "Then admit to yourself, 'Dri! Admit it to Beetle! Admit it to everyone, but most of all, admit to _me_ exactly why the hell you're giving up! Give me at least _that_ before you're gone forever!"  
  
Endri's eyes dripped with tears, spilling down his cheeks, endlessly bathing them in that liquid of sadness. His hand dropped back to his side, fingers fisting. "I—I can't. It's too terrible to repeat, too late to fixtoo late."  
  
"Endriif there's anything you've taught me, it's that it's _never_ too late to say or do _anything_," Kyle insisted, staring intensely.  
  
More tears dripped free from the ghost's dulling, green eyes as he closed them.  
  
"Say it! Tell me why you're doing this!"  
  
His supple lips, lightly swollen from his crying, parted. "I"  
  
Shocked, Lydia held a hand to her mouth, her grey eyes widening.  
  
Ginger loosed a silent gasp.  
  
Jacques held a tissue to his eye socket and sniffled at the moving scene, and the Monster crushed Poopsie in a teary hug.  
  
Beetlejuice looked on, frowning. Somehowhe knew.  
  
"K—Kyle" Endri swallowed, pausing in that second to wet his lips and steel his nerves, "_I've gone fucking insane!!_" he finished, screaming his words out. Maniacal laughter followed, echoing hauntingly in everyone's ears and through the weeping trees, spilling less tears than the ghost at the moment. His crystal tears poured from his eyes, betraying his shredded emotions, but his head tilted back toward the dark sky, almost evil laughter spilling from his throat that sounded very much like his father's infamous cackle.  
  
A silent gasp was on everyone's lips.  
  
"N—Now get the fuck _away_ from me!!" Endri shouted, dropping his head back down and glaring at his friends, his laughter suddenly dead. "All of you! Leave me to finish what I started alone!" He closed his eyes and tilted his head back. His arms extended outward just a bit again, and another burst of energy tore from his body. Once it left, the ghost swayed unsteadily on his feet.  
  
Kyle braced his body, ready to do the improbable. "You son of a bitch!" he screamed, his voice cracking.  
  
His friend either ignored him or didn't even hear.  
  
"I won't let you! I _won't_ let you!" His voice cracked again, and he dashed forward, right through the vortex. He wrapped his arms around the ghost's shoulders and sagged against him, his energy drained significantly.  
  
Endri opened his eyes and wrapped his arms around Kyle, holding him aloft, but barely. "Wh—What are youd—doing?"  
  
The human smiled up at him wanly. "I—If you're gonnat—take mewith you."  
  
"_B—Ba—ka—y—yaro_." the ghost croaked out, sagging to the ground, unable to support them both anymore. "_I—In—not stop._"  
  
Kyle smirked, lying limp beneath his friend. "_A—And Ileave._"  
  
"_You willforever._"  
  
"_I know._"  
  
Endri's eyes flooded with even more tears. "_D—Do Iso much?_"  
  
"_Yes,_" his friend whispered.  
  
Rolling his head from side to side on Kyle's chest, the ghost felt the tears sting, realized what would happen if the human stayed within the vortex much longerand couldn't bear it.  
  
"N—No! Papa! P—Papa, take him!"  
  
Beetlejuice tried to rush forward as Kyle did, but his energy drained too much for his liking, and he backed away. "I can't! You have to stop the vortex yourself, Son!"  
  
Endri sobbed lightly, his head cradled in his friend's shoulder. "I can't!"  
  
"You created it, you stop it! It's the only way!"  
  
The ghost grit his teeth against the sorrow brought on by the thought of his destroying his only true friend in over six centuries. "_N—NoK—Kyle will _No!" He twisted his upper body and raised his right hand toward the vortex, now brilliant with all the energy it had drained from him. "_G—Genki uzu__s—saru_!" he rasped, his voice strained and all but gone.  
  
The vortex flashed and spun wildly before exploding in a shower of twinkles over Endri and Kyle. The ghost collapsed back to the man's chest, joining the human who had already fallen into unconsciousness.  
  
Beetlejuice rushed over and fell to his knees next to them. "Endri! Kyle!" He reached down and pushed his son to roll off the human, then lifted the boy's eyelid to check the iris. It had faded to a dull, listless green, the sparkles that used to twinkle in the usually bright, metallic orb completely gone.  
  
Everyone else shuffled up to surround them, and Lydia knelt to check Kyle's pulse and breathing. "Kyle's alive," she sighed, relieved.  
  
"Good." Beetlejuice nodded. "Both of them have been drained to the max. Endri's all but gone. That last bit of energy he used to stop the vortex wiped him out. Another moment longer, and he wouldn'tve been able to stop it."  
  
He stared down at his only son, brought back from the brink of a _second_ deathand fell down upon him, wrapping his arms around the boy's limp form and hugging him tight. Tears burned in his eyes, but he fought to keep them at bay. He didn't quite know why he felt compelled to hold them back, but he just did. He held and rocked his son gently for a while, everyone keeping a respectful silence.  
  
"_My boy_" the ghoul whispered so only himself and his unconscious son could hear. "_My boymy little boy_"  
  
The silence stretched for another few minutes until Beetlejuice regained his composure and laid his son back to the cool grass. But he still kept a constant hold on him, swiping the boy's tears from his face with gentle fingers.  
  
"What should we do?" Ginger asked quietly, balanced delicately on Jacques' shoulder bone.  
  
The ghoul sniffed, keeping his eyes trained to Endri. "We just take 'em home and let 'em get some sleep," he answered, composing himself before looking up to the small group. "They need to rebuild their energy. Kyle will probably take a couple days, but Endri will be out for weeks, maybe even a month. He had a lot of energy; it'll take a while to build it back up."  
  
He looked down at his son and shook his head slowly, a light frown on his fair brow and some of the tears returning. "Stupid kid," he grumbled, feeling his relief fade just slightly to be replaced with disbelieving anger. "I can't believe he tried this! I can't believe he developed the Mania. I thought he washappy."  
  
Lydia laid a soothing hand to her lover's striped arm. "He's had a really traumatic past that I don't think we could ever truly comprehend. He thinks he's alone, BJ. And we haven't done much to make him realize otherwise, apparently."  
  
Beetlejuice nodded. "Wellno more, then. Things are gonna change around here. You guys got it?!"  
  
Everyone nodded, agreeing immediately.  
  
"Let's get 'em home, now."  
  
The Monster Across the Street stepped in then. He reached down and picked Endri and Kyle up in either arm and held them securely as everyone else stood around him and Beetlejuice. The ghoul raised his fingers and with a quick snap, the group was transported back home to the Roadhouse.  
  
  
  
  
  


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I'm not quite sure what to say right now. I'm kind of in a rush because I'm leaving like...TODAY...in a half hour. I hope you're enjoying the story so far, and believe me, it's far from over. A few words left for me to see would be much appreciated. ^_^ Thank you for reading! 


	3. Back from Beyond Reality

A story about life, love, courage, and testing ultimate friendship. What happens to Beetlejuice and his friends when one of their own falls into despair and changes completely? Nothing will ever be the same. This story is an **Alternate Universe** set five years after _Dark Shadows_ in the year 2008, and does **not** follow the intended story line. I repeat, this story does **NOT** follow the intended story line of the two stories (_A New Beginning_ & _Dark Shadows_) included in my _Beetlejuice Afterlife_ series, which is why it is simply titled "Mania" and not "Beetlejuice Afterlife – Mania". If I have someone ask me why I would put this as a sequel, I'll ignore them, because, right here it says: **THIS STORY IS NOT A SEQUEL**. This story was just bursting to be written, but I have no intention to make it part of my previous series. It just happens to use that series' events as a prelude. I hope there is no confusion.  
  
  
  
*Hugs everyone that read and kisses those who left reviews* See? If you leave a review, you get a hug AND a kiss! ^_~ Hehe! Thank you for reviewing, guys! You know who you are. I was hoping to see some of my old reviewers, but most seem to have disappeared.... Oh, well, I guess. Can't win them all. -_-  
  
I'm glad some of you are liking this story so far, and so I won't take up too much of your time anymore. Go ahead and read on, for you're sure to find some dramatic changes and...I won't give it away. ^_^ Read on, my friends!  
  


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Mania  
Spencers13 – March 2003–March 2004  
R – Drama – Angst 

  
  
  
  
Chapter Three – Back from Beyond Reality  
  
  
  
Dark colors swirled through Kyle's mind as he slowly woke. They twisted into horrid shapes of writhing creatures in his mind's eye, and he could do nothing to stop them from surrounding him and picking away at his consciousness, trying to drag him back into slumber. He groaned and rolled his head of white hair to the side, trying to fight back. He wouldn't be dragged back into the dark without a battle.  
  
"_Mom! Dad's waking up!_" an excited voice called from the distance. It was sweet and young, and Kyle felt drawn to it, using it as his anchor to pull himself back from oblivion. Then cool hands connected with his heated skin and another pleasant voice broke through the din.  
  
"_Kyle, honey? Kyle?_"  
  
Groaning again, the human rocked his head from side to side slowly, fighting to open his eyes. When he finally won that small, but almost insurmountable battle, his vision swam with a pale face and bright, fiery hair.  
  
"Oh, thank goodness! Are you okay, sweetheart?" Pepper gushed, her visage swirling into focus.  
  
Kyle looked about the room blankly for a moment. He was in his Neitherworld home, the home he had moved into a few years ago to join his ghostly wife and daughter. His piercing, cerulean eyes widened and snapped back to Pepper. "Wh—Why am I here?" he rasped.  
  
The feminine ghost looked to her right at their daughter, Faygo, a little surprised. "UhBeetlejuice told me about what happened, and I thought it would be better for you to rest at home. How do you feel?"  
  
"Where's Endri?!" the human grunted immediately, trying to sit up. Pepper pressed him back to the bed, however.  
  
"He's still at the Roadhouse, honey. Now just lay back and rest, all right?" she urged.  
  
Kyle shook his head, looking almost panicked. "No! I—I gotta make sureh—he's okay!" Again, he tried to raise up.  
  
Pepper pushed him back once more. "Kyle, stay put. You're too weak to get up."  
  
But the human only struggled more. "L—Let me up, dammit! I g—gotta see Endri!" He finally succeeded in pushing his passed wife away and shakily got to his feet.  
  
"Stop, Kyle, you're too weak!" Pepper argued, following him closely as he stumbled to the door, tugging on his shirt.  
  
"H—Have to see him" he mumbled in reply.  
  
"Get back in bed this instant, Kyle Gavan Bennington!"  
  
He whirled on her, anger snapping in his eyes and making his tongue sharp. "Be quiet! I know about what you think of him! He told me how you made him feel when he came over those first few times. You want to keep him away from me, don't you? Well, it won't work, Pepper! You'll never be able to stop me from seeing him again!" With that, he turned and quit the room on wobbly legs.  
  
Pepper stood, stunned for a second, then fumed with anger.  
  
"Mom" Faygo half whispered, drawing the woman's attention, "you've been trying to keep Dad from seeing Uncle 'Dri?"  
  
"That man _isn't_ your uncle, Faygo!" her mother snapped. "And your father has no reason to see him! The man is unconscious anyway. And it's _his_ fault your father had all of his energy drained!"  
  
"Why don't you want them to see each other?" the young woman asked, almost shocked.  
  
"Your father has spent too much of his life with that ghost as it is. He needs to be with _us_ now. And Beetlejuice's son is _not_ your uncle, so stop calling him that!"  
  
Frowning, Faygo took a strong step forward and crossed her arms over her chest. "I am twenty—one years old, and I will call Endri whatever I damn well please! You can't tell me what to do anymore, Mom! All Dad wants to do is see Uncle 'Dri. What is the problem with that?! He's worried about him! I'm sure if _Dad_ was the one hurt, Uncle 'Dri would be trying all he could to see him too. They're best friends, and you wanna keep them apart?! What's _wrong_ with you?!" She stormed from the room, having made her point.  
  
Pepper only sighed in frustration, rubbing her temples to alleviate the stress.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kyle stumbled out onto the Neitherworld street, weakly raising his arm into the air and hollering, "H—Haxi!"  
  
A haxi cab immediately pulled up and coughed roughly from the front grill. The human climbed into the back seat and leaned his head against the head rest.  
  
Turning around, the half crab, half ghoul hacked past the cigar in his mouth then grinned at his passenger. "_Koff!_ Where to, pal?"  
  
"B—BJ's Roadhouse," Kyle panted.  
  
The crab's segmented eyes bulged on their stalks. "Are you insane?! _Nobody_ goes _there!_"  
  
"I'm paying you, aren't I? Take me there!" the man huffed, leaning back in the seat again.  
  
Raising his claws in a shrug, the crab turned back around and gripped the steering wheel. "Okay, okay. It's _your_ second funeral."  
  
Kyle smirked. It was a nice advantage having such pure, white hair in the Neitherworld. Everyone thought he was a ghost at first glance. It made blending in so much easier. Now to lean back and rest until they arrivedso tired His eyes drifted shut, dozing into a light sleep not thirty seconds after the haxi pulled away from the curb.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Gently, Beetlejuice brushed Endri's sweat—matted hair from his forehead and readjusted the wet washcloth there, flipping it over to put the cooler side against his son's burning skin. It had been a full day and a half since the ghost had tried to commit suicide, and things weren't exactly looking good for him.  
  
Emphasizing his inner turmoil, Endri groaned and winced in his sleep, the first movement and sound uttered since his collapse. It was a positive reaction, though, but it still didn't mean he was recovering all that well.  
  
"_It's okay, kid. Things'll get better, I promise,_" Beetlejuice whispered, smoothing the backs of his red—tipped fingers over the heated flesh of the boy's cheek.  
  
Easing through the open door to Endri's bedroom, Lydia made her way over to stand next to her lover. "How is he?"  
  
The ghoul shook his head. "Still has a fever. He prob'ly will for another couple days or so."  
  
She sat on the bedside and caressed lithe fingers over his cheek. "I can't believe how hot he is. This temperature would kill a human. Why's he so sick?"  
  
"Lost most of his energymost of his defenseseverything's gone," Beetlejuice explained somberly. "He has no resistance to anything anymore. Without his energy, he's nothing. And with almost all of it gone, he _has_ nothing."  
  
Lydia looked upon the tormented ghost, her brows lifting in concern. "Poor thing"  
  
Beetlejuice smirked, letting a light chuckle slip through his lips. "I wouldn't pity 'im, Lyds. I think that's the _last_ thing he would want."  
  
She nodded. "Right, sorry." Pausing, she continued to gaze at the handsome, blonde ghost. "Is there anything we can do for him?"  
  
"Nothin' but wait. That's all." He thought for a second, drifting into silence. "Well, actually" Standing from his bedside chair, he shooed Lydia away to stand. "I'm not sure if this'll work, but it's worth a shot. I'll give him a little boost." He looked up at her with serious eyes. "Don't tell anyone this."  
  
She shook her head in agreement.  
  
"I didn't want to tell anyone and worry 'em, 'specially Kyle," the ghoul went on, looking back to the unconscious ghost in bed, "but he's not making anymore energy."  
  
A worried look drifted over Lydia's features. "He's not?"  
  
He shook his head. "No. I was worried it might happen too. He's lost so much, he can't even lay there and make more. Maybe if I do this, it'll boost him to a point where he can." Beetlejuice clapped his hands together and produced a bright yellow flash that remained glowing on each of his hands after they parted. He pointed both hands to his son and sent the energy straight into his chest near his heart. "There. Hopefully he'll be able to accept it."  
  
"What did you do to him?"  
  
"Gave 'im some of my energy," he answered. "Kinda like a blood transfusion, only it's power. I just hope his body can accept it. If not, thenI don't know what we'll do."  
  
Endri groaned and rolled his head to the side a fraction. His eyes blinked open, still revealing how dull green they were, and still with no sparkles of power. "_P—Papa?_" he grunted out, his voice an empty echo of what it once was. He sounded lostand frightened. That voice, that emotional turmoil, that _fear_ did not belong in him. It simply was not him.  
  
Beetlejuice grinned, not expecting his son to actually wake so early. "Hey! Hey, kid, how ya feelin'?" He leaned down to readjust the washcloth on the ghost's forehead, rubbing it gently against the hot skin.  
  
Endri only blinked groggily, looking as though he could fall back into his fitful sleep at any moment. "_P—Papa_"  
  
A light smirk spread over the ghoul's lips. He should have known his son would ask about the wily human. "Kyle's over at his house. He's just fine, don't worry."  
  
"_Ky—le_" The young ghost's eyes drifted closed as his voice fell away, and he went back to sleep.  
  
Beetlejuice glanced over to Lydia who had simply stood and watched the scene play out. "Wellit worked, I guess."  
  
"Is he making energy now?"  
  
He laid a hand over Endri's chest and held it there for a minute. "Yeah. Yeah, there we go. Come here." She stepped over and Beetlejuice took her hand and placed it on the ghost's chest over his heart. "Feel that 'hum'?"  
  
Her eyes went wide and she giggled at the sensation tingling through her fingers. "It's almost like when you put your hand really close to a TV when it's covered with static!"  
  
"Yep. That's his energy bouncing back. He's makin' it again. Good. Now, we–"  
  
Kyle Bennington stumbled into the room and held himself up against the doorframe. "E—Endri" he panted, looking like he would fall over at any second. "I—Is he okay?"  
  
Beetlejuice jogged over and helped the human into the room. "Kyle! What're you doin' back? I thought the Doc took you home."  
  
"I didn'twant to be there. Wanted to seeD—'Dri," he panted again. He was still so weak. How the man made it from his home almost thirty miles away to the Roadhouse was amazing.  
  
The ghoul helped Kyle into the bedside chair, and the human reached over to put a hand over Endri's arm. "Is he okay?"  
  
"He's just fine," Lydia answered. "He's got a fever, but it should clear up in a few days."  
  
Kyle nodded and slumped back in the chair, falling unconscious immediately.  
  
Beetlejuice just chuckled and picked him up from the chair, flinging him over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. He toted Kyle out of the room and toward the human's old bedroom next door. It was the room he used to occupy when living in the Roadhouse before Pepper had come along and insisted he move into their downtown home with her.  
  
"Looks like he's still a little out of it. I'll just put him back in his old bed for now. I'm sure the Doc'll be back sometime to get 'im," he said, laying the human in bed and tossing a blanket loosely over him.  
  
Lydia just stood in the doorway. "Is he okay?"  
  
"He'll be fine," the ghoul assured. "He's just worried about Endri, is all. He'll probably sleep for about another day, now that he knows the kid's all right. Come—on, let's let 'im sleep."  
  
Quietly, Beetlejuice and Lydia left Kyle's old room and shut out the light, leaving the door half open to keep easy tabs on him.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Around five o'clock in the afternoon the next day, Kyle stumbled from his old room and into Endri's. As soon as he rounded into the door and almost reeled, Beetlejuice was at his side, supporting him again. The ghoul had been sitting at his son's bedside since the previous night, worried over his condition.  
  
"What're you doin' outa bed, Kyle? Ain't you still tired?"  
  
"_Endrii—is he okay?_" is all he murmured in a half daze, still wobbly on his feet.  
  
Beetlejuice smirked. "He's still sleeping."  
  
He watched as Kyle swayed, one arm supported against the doorframe, just staring at Endri in bed. He didn't seem to want to leave at all, and the ghoul didn't have the heart to make him go.  
  
"Heywhy don't you just stay in here if you're so worried about him?"  
  
Shakily, the human turned his head to Beetlejuice. "Uh?"  
  
"Yeah, here. Lay down beside him." With a helpful hand, the ghoul assisted Kyle into bed next to his son on the side against the wall. "There now. Just relax and go back to sleep."  
  
The human mumbled a thanks and laid his head to the spare pillow there, facing Endri. He stared for just a minute before he fell right into a dream, relaxed in the knowledge that his best friend was still nearby.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
A few hours later, night had descended over the Roadhouse, and once more, the three ratty moons drifted across the sky in their never—ending orbits. Down below, inside the Roadhouse, in the upstairs bedroom on the right, Endri groaned and blinked his eyes open. His sleep thus far had been erratic and fitful, something it should not have been. The ghost needed to have days, if not weeks of uninterrupted rest to regain his full power. With constantly waking up, he was burning off the energy his body had been building up, putting him back down to a dangerously low level. If he continued to fuss in his sleep and wake with the fever still raging in him, he would eventually burn his energy down to nothing and cease to exist.  
  
But Beetlejuice was still happy to see his son awake. "There's my boy's green eyes!" He reached down and flipped the wet washcloth over again, putting the cooler side to the sweating flesh of the ghost's forehead. He had been sitting there still, keeping a constant vigil over his son, trying to give him some bit of subconscious reinforcement.  
  
Endri's eyes were still that faded, dull green color, though. His father was only trying to encourage him, to make him feel like he was wanted and cared for–which he was, of course.  
  
"_P?_"  
  
Beetlejuice smirked, looking kindly upon his son. "He's right beside you."  
  
Endri's eyes were only half—lidded as he tried unsuccessfully to move his head and look to the side. Wanting to help, his father reached over and put his hands to either side of his boy's face and turned his head for him. The ghost's eyes alighted to his best friend lying above the blankets at his side, his right arm down between them and the left flung carelessly across his chest which rose and fell steadily.  
  
"_K_" Endri stuttered. It seemed he couldn't speak any longer.  
  
"He's asleep, kid. He was worried about you, so he stayed here," Beetlejuice said out of eyesight.  
  
"_Nm_" the ghost mumbled, using only the most primitive form of communication at that point. "_Hnnm_" he sighed, falling immediately back into sleep. This time, however, he didn't fuss. He was no longer tormented. He finally was able to rest in peace, knowing his best friend was right beside him and would stay there.  
  
Smirking, Beetlejuice slowly shook his head, amazed at the progress made in mere moments from the simple knowledge that his son's best friend was there for him. He took the warmed washcloth from Endri's forehead and shook it lightly, letting the air cool the damp rag before he folded it again and laid it back over the ghost's still burning skin. But, he thought, it wouldn't be burning for much longer. He had a feeling the boy was truly on the mend now.  
  
The ghoul ran his hand over his son's cheek and pointed ear, fingering the soft blonde hair so much like his own. He studied the boy's face, taking in his features as if he had only just seen them for the first time.  
  
Endri had the same slightly hooked nose, the same dark rings of almost violet skin around his eyes, the same eyes even, as his father. Their incredibly pale, almost lavender skin was also same. But they were so different as well. The ghost's face was just a little more angular, but still so soft–a trait passed down from his mother. His body was much larger in muscle and bulk than Beetlejuice's, but the ghoul never really found the need to have such a figure. He could always pull upon his energy to do things Endri's regular strength could accomplish.  
  
His son. His _son_. It was still so hard to believe. And he had just almost lost his son a few days ago. He almost lost him permanently.  
  
Before, when the ghoul had been searching the Neitherworld for his wife and little boy, he always had the hope that they could be found. Butif Endri had succeeded the other dayif he had wiped himself from existencethere would be no hope of _ever_ finding him, of _ever_ getting him back from that nothingness he wished to drown in. He would have been gone forever.  
  
Beetlejuice sniffled and wiped at his eyes. He was normally one to not show many "mushy" emotions, but recently, he just couldn't help it. He leaned down and gathered his son into his arms and hugged him tenderly, one hand beneath the boy's head and holding it to the crook of his neck, and the other arm looped under his shoulders, holding him close.  
  
"_My boy_" he whispered into Endri's pointed ear. "_I'll never lose you again. I'll never let you feel like you're not loved again. 'Cause I love you, boy. I love you, you hear me? I guess I don't say it near enough. Well, you just get better, dammit, so I can tell you. Got it?_"  
  
He received no answer, nor did he expect one. Endri was still sound asleep–his body on the mend, but his mind far from sane anymore. That thought brought a few more tears to Beetlejuice's eyes, and he wiped them away. How would things ever be right again?  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
About ten minutes later and around 9:15 PM, Pepper stormed into the room, furious. Her white lab coat flared at her calves as she came to a halt just inside the doorway and a few feet from the foot of the bed. She must have just come from work.  
  
"I _thought_ he'd be–!" she cut off, gasping at the sight of Kyle and Endri sleeping side by side. "I don't believe this! Kyle, wake up! Get away from him, right–!"  
  
Beetlejuice jumped up from his beside chair and jogged to stand between her and the end of the bed. "Quiet! They need sleep!" he growled in a hushed tone.  
  
Pepper only glared at him hatefully. "My _husband_ needs to come back home right now. He can sleep _there_."  
  
The ghoul just crossed his arms, never backing down and not one to be easily intimidated. "I think he's content where he is. Besides, he came over here yesterday worried about Endri. If you take him home, he'll just wake up and wanna come over again. Just leave him here."  
  
"No, he's leaving right now with me," she hissed, reaching down, intent on grabbing Kyle's ankle.  
  
Beetlejuice beat her to it, however, grabbing her wrist before she could touch the human. "Leave him be. He doesn't want to leave," he grumbled lowly, glaring.  
  
"How would you know anyway?" she retorted, glaring back.  
  
"'Cause he kept comin' in here asking about Endri 'till I told him to just stay. Look at 'im," he said, nodding his head back and to the side. "He's sleeping peacefully 'cause he knows Endri's okay with him nearby."  
  
"No way. He always looks like that when he sleeps. You're just making excuses to keep him here!" she hissed, snapping her wrist away from the ghoul's hand.  
  
"And you're making excuses to take him," he pointed out. "Leave him alone, Doc. It's plain as my stripes he wants to stay."  
  
"He doesn't know _what_ he wants! He's so out of it, he could want to start _ballet!_"  
  
"_Shh!_ Dammit, Doc! Come out here." Beetlejuice pushed Pepper out through the door and down the hall a short distance to stand at the top of the steps near Kyle's old bedroom door. "Why the hell're you bein' such a bitch, Doc?"  
  
The fiery redhead whirled and slapped him. "How dare you?!"  
  
The ghoul's head snapped to the side and slowly turned back, eyes flashing barely—contained anger.  
  
"I just want my husband to come home; what's wrong with that?!"  
  
Beetlejuice ignored the sting in his cheek. Instead, he let it fuel his anger, something he was reputed for having. "You're not givin' him a fuckin' inch! He just saved my son's afterlife! He's worried about Endri, so let 'im stay with him for a while!"  
  
"He doesn't need to be lying in _bed_ with him!" she shouted, hunching her shoulders and fisting her small hands.  
  
"They're best friends! They just wanna make sure they're still there! There's nothing wrong with them sleeping in the same bed, Doc."  
  
"Nothing wrong with it?! They're both men!"  
  
"So?"  
  
"It's disgusting!"  
  
"It's friendship! Something apparently _you_ don't understand!" the ghoul hissed, narrowing his eyes and pointing accusingly with a red—tipped finger.  
  
"They can be friends without sleeping together!" Pepper shouted, pointing rigidly toward Endri's room.  
  
"They're both exhausted! Give 'em a break!"  
  
"Exhausted because of _your_ son trying to erase himself! I don't understand why Kyle hangs around with that emotionless jerk anyway. He should be at home with his family, not in this rundown dump of yours with your suicidal son! That man will probably rub off on him, and then _Kyle_ will want to kill himself too!"  
  
Fire erupted in Beetlejuice's eyes. "Don't you _dare_ speak about my boy like that," he growled, clenching his fists and growing a few inches in height to intimidate. "You don't know about anything that's goin' on around here. You just barged into my home and demanded Kyle when all he wants to do is stay and make sure his best friend is okay. Endri's saved that man's life more times than I know, and Kyle just wants to return the favor. Show some respect!"  
  
"Fine, let him stay here and play patty—cake with his bed buddy. I've got better things to do," she huffed, spinning on her heel.  
  
"What, like cheat on him again?"  
  
Pepper spun back and cracked the ghoul across the cheek again, rudely reminding him of how much it stung. "How dare you think such a thing?!"  
  
He only smirked. "Oh, I don't think. I know."  
  
"I would never cheat on Kyle!" she declared, sternly.  
  
"Oh, really?" Beetlejuice paused a second to tilt his nose forward and sniff the air. "That's a very interesting _cologne_ you're wearing. That's not Kyle's brand. In fact, Kyle hasn't even been _wearing_ cologne for a while now. So where did it come from, hm?"  
  
The feisty redhead was speechless for a moment. "I—I–"  
  
"What's the matter, Doc? One man not good enough for you? Is _two_ men even good enough for you?"  
  
"You" She clenched her fists at her sides and shook with anger, her face turning a pale shade of red.  
  
"Why are you cheating on your husband?!" he shouted, slapping her in the face with his words.  
  
"He's not really my husband!" Pepper snapped, finally admitting to something. "Our marriage was annulled the moment I died!"  
  
Beetlejuice could barely stand to look at her now. "How long did you wait, then? A month? Two?"  
  
"Five years! I waited five years! But then I realized I probably wouldn't see Kyle for another forty or fifty, so I started dating. I couldn't wait that long. So I'm not cheating on him! I never was!"  
  
"Keep telling yourself that," he grunted in disdain, crossing his arms.  
  
How low was that–using a technicality to justify her actions? Pathetic.  
  
"So why do you keep 'im locked away in your house? You barely let 'im get out to even visit his friends here. I have a feeling when he _does_ make it over, it's 'cause he _escaped!_"  
  
"I want him to be nearby for Faygo, that's all. She needs her father."  
  
"And you need him to warm your bed at night," the ghoul said lowly, sending a hateful glare in her direction.  
  
Again, Pepper's hand connected with his soft cheek. "Youyou son of a bitch!"  
  
"You're _using_ him!" Beetlejuice pushed, now ignoring the sting in his cheek. "You may want him there for Faygo, but you're using him too!"  
  
"I would never–"  
  
"You think I don't know?" he asked with genuine curiosity, as if it was supposed to be common knowledge. "It's obvious, Doc, you can't deny it. I know about Humans. For a ghost to get a human in bedthe experience is worth a hundred lifetimes. Humans are fucking _great_ in bed, and that's why you keep him locked away. You keep him 'cause he's warm, 'cause he's alive. It's a thrill for a ghost! An addicting high! Believe me, I know!"  
  
"That's–that's not true!" she tried to defend weakly.  
  
"Isn't it?" he genuinely asked again. "Even still, a flesh and blood human isn't good enough for you. You gotta go out and fuck some other guy behind Kyle's back. You selfish bitch."  
  
Pepper stood, shaking, her fists clenched at her sides. "I don't have to stand here and take this shit from the likes of you."  
  
He lifted questioning eyebrows. "Why? Because it's true? Because you don't like it shoved so plainly in your face? Deny it, Doc. Stand there and look me in the eye and say Kyle is the only one."  
  
She never answered.  
  
Shaking his head, the ghoul crossed his arms even tighter. "I thought you loved him."  
  
"I do love him!" she snapped.  
  
"You certainly have a funny way of showing it!"  
  
"We've been apart too long! Ten years was too much for me! People's feelings change, Beetlejuice–nothing is forever!"  
  
He shook his head again, closing his eyes briefly. "You don't know how wrong you are. But apparently _you've_ changed quite a bit, Doc! What happened to that nice woman I met a few years ago when you helped us with the Drinker?"  
  
She huffed and shrugged her shoulders, trying her best to feign nonchalance, but failing miserably. "I was just happy to see Kyle again, that's all. And when Faygo was so thrilled to see her father again, I thought it would be nice to be a family for her. She needs to have her father to help raise her properly. I raised her for ten years on my own, Kyle needed to help out and be involved."  
  
"So now he's raising Faygo all by himself _and_ keeping you entertained at night, just so you can skip off with your lover during the day and have the time of your afterlife?" He sighed and tried his hardest not to grind his teeth in anger. "You're right, Doc. People _do_ change. You couldn't have been such a manipulative bitch when you were alive."  
  
Pepper stood, seething for a while until an odd calmness descended upon her. She turned slowly, heading down the steps. "Fine, I've had enough. He can stay in this hellhole with you dirty bastards for as long as he wants."  
  
"So now you're done playing with him? Tossing him out?"  
  
She stopped halfway down and turned around, staring back up at the bane of the Neitherworld. "He would rather stay with that bastard son of yours anyway. He's always trying to see him; so let him stay. I'm tired of pretending anymore." She paused at that point, lowering her eyes to the steps in front of her. She felt genuinely sad about her next confession, but still, it was the truth she could no longer deny. "I do love him, just not the way I used to." Slowly, she turned and headed down the rest of the steps, pausing when she got to the bottom to send up a small request. "Don't tell him any of this."  
  
"Oh, don't worry," Beetlejuice said happily, a vindictive smile in his words. "I'll let you take all the glory of shattering him."  
  
Huffing, Pepper spun and stormed out of the Roadhouse, slamming the door in her wake.  
  
With a grunt, the ghoul headed back to Endri's room, wanting to check on him again. He ran his hands over the boy's forehead, checking his still boiling temperature. Well, at least he was sleeping peacefully now. He sent a glance to his son's friend, still lying at his side. The human lie awake, staring at the ceiling, his eyes swimming.  
  
"Kylea—awake?" Beetlejuice asked quietly.  
  
Kyle was silent for a while, just staring upward and blinking slowly every so often. Finally, he said in a soft, strained voice, "Beetle, could you please leavefor a while?"  
  
The ghoul swallowed nervously. "You heard?"  
  
"Please"  
  
Nodding, he headed for the door, but stopped in the frame at the sound of Kyle's small voice.  
  
"Beetle"  
  
"Yeah?" he asked, looking back, one hand on the doorframe.  
  
The human paused for a moment, still staring at the ceiling. "Thank youfor defending me."  
  
Pausing for an equal time, the ghoul then replied, "Sureanytime," before turning and closing the door quietly behind him.  
  
Kyle bit his lip as the tears leaked out, unable to be contained any longer. He turned his face to Endri, the tears making his vision blurry and the dark room even harder to take in, but he could still see the outline of his friend's face nearby. He stared at that slumbering visage until he could stand the pain no longer. Feeling those damn tears sting his eyes even more so and a sob rising in his throat, the human scooted over and wiggled between the ghost's arm and side. He snuggled against his friend, clutching at the sheet lying over his bare chest and cried brokenly.  
"E—Endriy—you're alwayshere f—for meeven if you're s—sleeping," he sobbed through his heartache. He cried hard and he cried long until he became too weak and passed out in the limp embrace of his already unconscious friend.  
  
  
  
  
  


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Wow, I turned Pepper into a real bitch, huh? :P Hehehe! Well, she's not REALLY like that. So don't worry, Pepper didn't REALLY leave Kyle...she just did for this story and that's it. Anyhoo...hope you're enjoying so far! This was all very fun to write, and I hope that comes through. ^_^ See you next chapter! 


	4. First Day of Forever

A story about life, love, courage, and testing ultimate friendship. What happens to Beetlejuice and his friends when one of their own falls into despair and changes completely? Nothing will ever be the same. This story is an **Alternate Universe** set five years after _Dark Shadows_ in the year 2008, and does **not** follow the intended story line. I repeat, this story does **NOT** follow the intended story line of the two stories (_A New Beginning_ & _Dark Shadows_) included in my _Beetlejuice Afterlife_ series, which is why it is simply titled "Mania" and not "Beetlejuice Afterlife – Mania". If I have someone ask me why I would put this as a sequel, I'll ignore them, because, right here it says: **THIS STORY IS NOT A SEQUEL**. This story was just bursting to be written, but I have no intention to make it part of my previous series. It just happens to use that series' events as a prelude. I hope there is no confusion.

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Again, I want to thank those of you who reviewed. Words left behind for me to read after you've read my work really mean a lot to me. -- So, I'm not gonna waste more of your time up here. Send your eyes below, my friends. And I hope you like what you see.

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Mania  
Spencers13 – March 2003–March 2004  
R – Drama – Angst 

  
  
Chapter Four – First Day of Forever  
  
The next two weeks passed slowly for everyone involved. The days were long and full of worry, but after the initial few days, things did run more smoothly for both Endri and Kyle.  
  
The white—haired human had woken up the next day feeling refreshed but also incredibly heartbroken. His wife–the mother of his daughter; the one he had done so much for, taken so many lengths to find and be with again–had left him. His heart ached, and his eyes burned, but he refused to cry in front of anyone but Endri, and only Endri because he was still asleep. He knew the ghost resented weakness in any form, but Kyle still needed his friend to comfort him in his hour of need. He just wished that hour had never come to pass to begin with.  
  
He would sit, sometimes for hours, on the plush of Endri's bed beside his inert form, his knees pulled up to his chest and his hands buried in his white, unruly hair, tears making his cheeks wet. It was the only thing giving away his inner torturesadness. The only comfort he had was the presence of his best friend and the softness of the bed and blankets he sat upon. Nothing else registered to him as he sat there, toiling over the heartache raging within his being. But as the days passed, and things began to slowly settle, the pain began to ebbthough it didn't stray far.  
  
Beetlejuice, Lydia, and Kyle took turns sitting in vigil at Endri's bedside day and night. If the ailing ghost was ever left alone, it was only for a few minutes.  
  
Eventually, his fever faded, and he slowly regained his former strength. His body lost a few pounds and trimmed an inch here and an inch there. It was sparse, but still noticeable if looked for.  
  
  
  
  
  
Downstairs, in the kitchen, Beetlejuice and Lydia sat at the table eating breakfast. They were both being quiet, but companionably so. Things were generally quieter around the Roadhouse nowadays.  
  
In the doorway, a muscular form emerged, using its hand on the frame for balance.  
  
Lydia looked up at the newcomer, gasping. "EEndri?"  
  
With his head leaned back, ready to drop a large, juicy beetle into his mouth, Beetlejuice's eyes bulged from their sockets, and he looked over. There his son was! Standing in his blue—grey boxers and tank, Endri still looked tired, but much better. Beetlejuice tossed his screaming breakfast over his shoulder and leapt up, arms wide and grinning.  
  
"Endri! You're awake!" he shouted, throwing his arms around the ghost. His son stumbled back, but Beetlejuice caught him in time and held him in a bear hug. "Oh, I missed you! How do ya feel, huh?!" He backed away a bit and held the ghost still as he looked him over. Reaching up, he held one eyelid more open. "Lemme see your eyes here."  
  
Carefully, he scrutinized his son's iris. It had gone from dull, listless green from two weeks ago to bright, metallic green and full of sparkles once more. Those sparkles weren't as bright as they could have been, however. And around his iris, on the inside ring and out, circled bright rings of red. It was an ominous sign.  
  
Trying to look over such obvious evidence of his son's problems, Beetlejuice instead did as he did best, and tried to liven things up a little. "Yep! You're doin' better all right! You could still stand to use some rest, but I think a little food would do some good too. Come—on, kid, have a seat." The ghoul led Endri to an empty chair at the table and coaxed him to sit.  
  
The ghost had been quiet thus far, just looking at his surroundings, Beetlejuice, and Lydia warily. It was as if he barely recognized anything. A bowl of Count Chocula cereal was clunked down in front of him, and Endri looked up at his father curiously.  
  
"You can't talk anymore, kid? How are ya feelin'? Huh?"  
  
Slowly, the ghost lowered his gaze to the bowl and lifted the spoon already resting in it. He poked the utensil at the cereal lethargically. "Iam still a bit weak."  
  
Beetlejuice grinned at the sound of his son's voice. It was wonderful to hear, even if it was laden with sleep and a bit of sandpaper. "Aw, it ain't nothin' a little food and more rest won't cure."  
  
Nodding slowly, Endri just stared into his bowl. After a moment, he took a few deliberate bites.  
  
Concerned, the ghoul and his human lover looked at each other. Endri didn't seem to be himself. He ate slowly, only staring at the bowl, letting long minutes pass in silence.  
  
He tilted his head to the side in question finally, still staring into his seemingly mesmerizing cereal. "Papa?"  
  
Beetlejuice grinned at the new designation his son had decided to give him only recently. "Yeah?"  
  
The ghost paused, poking at the bat and ghost shaped marshmallows in his cereal. "What is my name?"  
  
Lydia and the ghoul exchanged worried glances once more. "Uhdon't you know, Son?"  
  
Endri nodded, still not looking up. "_Aa_remind me."  
  
"Well," his father began, clearing his throat, "you're Endri."  
  
The ghost frowned, tilting his head further to the side, still poking several marshmallows with his spoon. He sank the little bats under the milk, then let them pop back to the surface, playing with his food like a young boy would.  
  
"Nothat doesn't seem right. That's not all of it."  
  
Lydia leaned over, trying to see into her friend's face since his hair covered it at her angle. "What do you mean, Endri?"  
  
"That isn't my whole name."  
  
"Wellwhat _is_ your whole name?"  
  
He frowned deeper. "I can't remember." He paused for a moment, seemingly in thought. "I thought Papa knew."  
  
Scratching the back of his head, the ghoul nodded a few times. "Ya knowI think you're right, kid." He struck a thoughtful pose: one arm crossed over his chest, the other hand supporting his chin while a finger tapped his lips. Suddenly, his eyes brightened. "Oh, _I_ remember!"  
  
At long last, Endri looked up.  
  
"It's Endriethi!"  
  
A bright smile spread over the ghost's lips, and his eyes closed into mirthful arches. "Ah, yes. That's it."  
  
Beetlejuice chuckled. "You shortened it, didn't you?"  
  
Nodding, Endri went back to his cereal. "_Aa_. To make it easier to pronounce."  
  
Lydia smiled. She never knew 'Endri' was a shortened version of his whole name. "Why did you suddenly think of that?"  
  
The ghost stopped eating, his spoon poised a few inches from his lips, and looked up, confused. "I don't know. I justthought of it all of the sudden." He stared into his half—finished cereal. "II'm not really hungry," he mumbled, dropping the spoon into the dish with a little splash and clank.  
  
His father was practically shocked. "Not hungry? But you usually eat _twice_ as much as that!"  
  
Endri looked confused again. "I do?"  
  
For the third time that morning, Lydia and Beetlejuice exchanged worried glances.  
  
"Uhyeah, you do. Are you sure ya just feel a little weak still? Is anything else wrong?"  
  
Shaking his head, the ghost reached up to hold it. "AhI don't know. I can't seem to concentrate." He looked around suddenly, a little worried. "Where is Kyle?"  
  
Lydia glanced at her lover who also seemed uneasy about the subject of the young ghost's human friend. She answered, however, knowing Endri may upset easily. "I think he's out back," she said, pointing to the back door down the narrow hallway on the other side of the kitchen.  
  
Endri stood and simply walked out of the room without even a goodbye. When he was gone, Beetlejuice and Lydia stared at one another.  
  
"BJwhat's wrong with him? He's nothing like he used to be."  
  
The ghoul sighed and ran a hand through his long, blonde hair, leaning back against the counter. "I was afraid of this."  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"He's nothing like he used to be, 'cause he _isn't_. He's" he looked down, feeling his throat tighten, "got someproblems."  
  
"Problems?" The young woman stood and walked over to her lover, putting an arm around his shoulders and kissing his cheek with reassurance.  
  
Beetlejuice smiled, but it dropped quickly. "He'she's got the Mania, babes."  
  
"You never told me about that before. Is it some kind of disease?"  
  
He sighed. "It's not an easy thing to talk about for us dead guys. Butit's called 'Necromania'. It's amental disorder ghosts and ghouls can develop. Usually it only happens in the really old ones, ya know? Neitherworldians over 1,000 years old are the most prone to get it, but some 'cases' have developed in younger ones." He shook his head, sadly at first, but then more aggressively. "Endri is _far_ too young to get this! Dammit! I can't imagine how horrible his afterlife must have really been for him to fall off the deep end like this."  
  
"What does it do?"  
  
"Necromania affects the brain," the ghoul answered, pointing to his head. "A ghost's thinking process changes. They have fits of hysteria It usually develops because a ghost has just been around _so_ long that they go insane because they can't stand it anymore. There _is_ only so much you can do in the Neitherworld, and when a ghost looks ahead and realizes that they're gonna be around _forever_they can flip out. They go insane. Some try to find ways to wipe themselves out so they won't have to exist forever, but others just fall off the deep end and become raving lunatics. You know Scuzzo the Clown?"  
  
Lydia nodded, wondering why he would mention that crack-pot clown before it dawned on her. "You mean?"  
  
"Yep. The Mania. It's real sad too. Most of their relatives and friends and stuff don't like to acknowledge them anymore, and that makes it worse. It's considered shameful for a ghost to flip out like thatlike they couldn't hold their ownlike they were weak."  
  
"ButEndri was _anything_ but weak, Beej."  
  
The ghoul sighed again. "We don't know that for sure. Maybemaybe his strong attitude was just a fake. It's possible. We don't know what all he's been though." He drifted off for a moment. "I wish I did, though. I wish he'd trust me enough to tell me some stuff about himself. He trusts Kyle, though." Beetlejuice couldn't help but feel the slight twinge of jealousy inside.  
  
"Kyle has been with Endri the longest of anyone. They both confide in each other. It's kind of a given that they'd trust each other more than anyone else, BJ."  
  
"MmI know. Still"  
  
  
  
  
  
Out back, behind the Roadhouse, picking at little rocks and staring off into the distance, Kyle sat near the ledge. Had he known Beetlejuice had taken a breakfast break from sitting at Endri's bedside, he would have taken the ghoul's place. But, out there he sat, letting his mind wander, but not too far. He had to keep from thinking aboutthat night. Anything was better than that.  
  
The sound of the back door opening caught his attention. It shut with a low click, then quiet but audible footsteps advanced on his position.  
  
"I asked to be left alone," the human mumbled in a hollow voice. It was just as empty as he.  
  
"OhI—I'm sorry. I'll go back inside, then."  
  
Quickly, Kyle turned his head around. "Endri?!"  
  
The ghost only smiled at his long—time friend wanly.  
  
"Endri!" The human leapt up and ran back, throwing his arms around his friend and hugging tightly. "You're awake! You're up! Are you okay? Do you feel better?"  
  
Endri just hugged back, his eyes closed with insatiable contentment.  
  
Kyle pulled away, but still kept his hands held tightly to broad shoulders and standing close to his old partner. "It's so good to see you up, man." He stared into the ghost's smiling face. Endri looked disheveled, something he rarely ever was. It amused Kyle to no end whenever he saw his friend that way. Now, though, he was just so relieved to see the ghost up and about, his eyes teared up. "I missed you, ya know. I was worried. _Heh_I thought you'd never wake up, Rip Van Stinkle."  
  
The ghost smiled, but said nothing.  
  
Kyle sniffed. "What'sa matter, man? Can't talk anymore?"  
  
Endri reached up to brush his thumb over the corner of the human's eye. "No need to cry. I'm okay." His voice was soft and warm, and it sounded so good to hear after so long.  
  
Kyle bit his bottom lip, closed his eyes, shook his head back and forth, then threw his arms back around his best friend. "II don't know what I'd do without you, 'Dri. I really don't. I'm so glad you're okay."  
  
Closing his eyes, the ghost hugged back, smiling.  
  
The human backed away again and reached up to push his friend's hair around. "You look good, 'Dri. You look real good," he half whispered, his lower lip trembling.  
  
"Why so sad, then?" Endri asked, tilting his head to the side.  
  
Kyle shook his head. "'CauseI—I just can't believe it. I can't believe there's somethin' wrong with you. There _can't_ be something wrong with you. You look fine. You look _better_ than fine. You, standing here awake, is a fuckin' sight for sore eyes, man."  
  
Such kind words only instilled shame within him, and the ghost lowered his head. "II'm sorry, Kyle."  
  
"For what?"  
  
"For beingfor not being righti—in the head."  
  
"Youknow there's something wrong with you?" the human asked, using his fingers to tilt Endri's head so he could see the sparkles in his eyes. It was then that he noticed the tiny rings of red encircling those twinkling orbs.  
  
The ghost swallowed. "Yes, II can feel it. Something is very different in me. Sometimes, I forget thingslike my name this morning. Ands—sometimes, Ilose track of myself."  
  
"You _forgot_ your own name?" Kyle asked, looking very disbelieving.  
  
"_Aa_I knew that. But my full name is what I forgot. My given name."  
  
"And what would that be?"  
  
"Endriethi."  
  
The human looked surprised for a moment before remembrance set in, and he inclined his head as the memory was struck. "That's right. I remember you telling me that a long time ago. Why's it just Endri now?" he asked to be reminded.  
  
"I shortened it to make it easier on myself and others."  
  
Kyle paused. "Right." He resigned to add a little silence to their conversation and just stared for a while. At length, he sniffed and reached up to hug his friend again.  
  
Endri silently hugged back for a minute. "Kylewhy are you out here all alone? Why are you so sad? I can tell you're not just happy to see me. Something's wrong," he said softly, knowing his friend all too well.  
  
Kyle squeezed tighter for a second, then let go entirely. He gave a brief smile, then turned and walked slowly back to the ledge and sat down. His friend followed, sitting little more than a foot away. Both stared off into the distance for a while, letting the silence stretch between them.  
  
That morning was almost the same as all the other mornings in that part of the Neitherworld: warm and dry, but pleasantly so. Endri found himself wishing that grass grew on that small plateau where the Roadhouse sat. But, with the piles of junk and the dirty lifestyle of his father, he guessed that the grass, if it _ever_ grew, wouldn't last long anyway.  
  
"Kyle?" he asked quietly, turning his head toward his friend. The silence had lasted long enough, and he realized that the human wasn't about to start any new conversations.  
  
The man sighed. "I—uhwould rather not talk about it, 'kay, 'Dri?"  
  
Nodding, Endri looked away, respecting his friend's wishes. He would have to endure the silence after all. But silence wasn't exactly what he craved anymore. He used to love it, used to revel in it and the solitude it brought. But now, things had changed drastically. To be silent meant there was time to thinkand time to think meant thoughts of the futureand the future would last foreverand everand–  
  
"'Dri, can I ask you something kindapersonal?" Kyle asked without looking.  
  
_Thank you_, the ghost thought. "Of course."  
  
The human paused, debating on whether he should really ask or not, but ultimately decided to just say it. "Is it" he paused again, unconsciously picking at a few pebbles at his side, "Is itreally good for a ghost to umg—get a human into bed with them? Likeare Humans really good in bed for a ghost?"  
  
Endri looked over, wide—eyed. "Uh"  
  
"You don't need to go into detail. Just a 'yes' or 'no' will work."  
  
Swallowing, the ghost looked away, casting his eyes back into the hazy distance. "From myyes."  
  
Kyle nodded. "Can I ask you somethin' else? I got a couple questions."  
  
"Mm—hmm."  
  
"Is being with a human a thrill for a ghost?"  
  
"Do you still want a 'yes' or 'no'?"  
  
"If you want. Detail isn't necessary."  
  
"Umyes."  
  
"Is it like a high?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Is it addicting?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
Kyle huffed and shook his head, feeling the tears stinging, but trying to hold them in. He didn't want to look weak in front of his best friend.  
  
Endri finally looked over again. "Why do you want to know those things?"  
  
"Justcurious." The human's voice wavered, and his eyes twinkled with barely—contained tears.  
  
Surprised at his friend's distress, the ghost scooted closer. "Kylewhat's wrong? Why are you so upset?"  
  
Shaking his head, Kyle bit into his lip. "Noyou just woke up. Now's not the time for me to dump mymy problems on you." His voice shook even more.  
  
Endri scooted to sit directly beside his friend. "_Kyle_" he whispered gently.  
  
The human slowly turned his head, his lower lip quivering, his eyes swimming with tears. A low whimper escaped his throat, and that was all Endri could stand. He reached out and wrapped his arms around his friend. Kyle fell into the embrace, crying silently, trying to keep everything in so as not to embarrass himself in front of his usually stoic friend. Trying to stifle an oncoming sob, he buried his face into Endri's upper chest.  
  
"Please, Kyletell me what's wrong."  
  
The human ground his teeth together and screwed his eyes shut, his grip on the ghost suddenly trembling. An unexpected sob escaped his lips, and after it left, the rest could be held back no more. "Sh—She's gone. She l—left me!" he cried.  
  
Endri hugged him tighter, caressing a hand along the back of the man's head. He said nothing.  
  
"After–After all I've done!" Kyle shook, gripping the ghost's tank tighter. "All the years of searching! Everything I've done to take revenge for her death! She _left_ me!!" He cried loudly, not caring who heard anymore. He hurt too much. "Sh—She said she didn't love me! She said she was _pretending!_" he sobbed. "She cheated on me, 'Dri! She _cheated on me!!_"  
  
Endri continued to hold his friend close, his pale hand caressing the length of the man's back and up into his hair at the back of his head, offering some form of comfort.  
  
And Kyle continued to weep.  
  
"She used me! All she kept me around for was sex! I was nothing but a toy for her to play with at night, then she'd go see that other bastard during the day! She fuckin' _used_ me, Endri!" He broke off to painfully hiccup a sob from his throat. "Sh—She says we're not married anymore either. L—Like when she died, it annulled our marriage. So–So why did she keep calling me her husband for over five years now? I'll tell you why! So she could fuckin' use me!" He dug his face into Endri's chest, vigorously rubbing his stinging eyes against the soft fabric of the ghost's tank. "All I was good for was to look after Faygo and fuck her! Dammit, I feel like total shit!"  
  
"_Shhh!_ No, Kyle, don't you dare feel that way! There's something wrong with her if she doesn't love you! Anyone would be a fool to not love and care about you! You are such a wonderful, kind person. Peppershe must not see that any longer. The fool woman has been blinded."  
  
The human sniffed and readjusted his hold on Endri's shirt. "No, she's not totally blind. She–She still knows a good _fuck_ when she sees one!"  
  
The ghost tried to shush him, but to no avail.  
  
"A—And it isn't even because it's _me!_ It's because I'm _human!_ She only wants to fuck me 'cause I'm alive! All I am is an addiction to her!" he sobbed loudly.  
  
Endri shushed him again. "No, Kyle. You're so much more than that. She's just too stupid to see it!" he growled. "Do you want me to take care of her for you?" he asked, his voice uncharacteristically dark.  
  
Kyle's head darted up, looking almost scared. The tears on his face were an odd sight to his friend. "N—No! No, don't hurt her, Endri. I don't want that."  
  
"Then I'll have a little talk with her. I'll fix things, Kyle. Don't worry. I'll make everything all right again."  
  
He shook his head and sniffed, leaning back in to rest his forehead to the ghost's shoulder. "That's nice of you, but I don't think I could ever be with her again. Not after all I've heard her say, not now after I know how she really feels about me. It would never be the same. It could never go back to the way it was before." A hollow chuckle rumbled from his chest. "Sometimes ignorance _is_ bliss. 'Least I was gettin' laid every other night." His eyes squeezed shut as the tears began anew.  
  
Endri just held him tightly, stroking his back. "Have you moved back into the Roadhouse?"  
  
Kyle nodded 'yes'.  
  
"Don't worry, then. I'll be here all the time. I'll do everything I can, give you everything I can. I promise, you'll never be lonely with me around. I'll try my hardest to keep you happy."  
  
The human sobbed louder, clutching Endri's tank in shaking fists.  
  
"_Shh_no more tears now. You're just wasting them on her. Forget about her for now."  
  
Kyle only cried and shook his head against his friend's chest. How could he forget the way she washow he thought she loved himhow she played him for a fool?  
  
"_Ne__ne_ look. Someone has come to visit youlook."  
  
Shakily, Kyle raised his head, but didn't stray far from his friend's chest. His blue eyes caught sight of a multi—shaded blue butterfly fluttering nearby, a small trail of blue sparkles following behind it. He sniffed and swallowed, leaning up farther to see better and noticed that the butterfly glowed just slightly from within. Kyle sniffed again, feeling Endri's hand moving along his back just slightly, tracing small patterns.  
  
"Aa butterfly."  
  
"_Aa_isn't she beautiful?"  
  
With a shaking hand, the human wiped his eyes, sniffing. "Yeah." Again, he took notice to the ghost's hand moving on his back along with the tiny creature. "You're controlling it?"  
  
"She is made of my energy."  
  
Kyle slowly reached out, wanting to touch such a thing for himself. The little butterfly landed on his shaking finger obediently. "I—It has weight!"  
  
With tiny legs the width of hairs, the butterfly tiptoed along the human's finger. It was so very delicate, made of see—through wisps of blue energy.  
  
Kyle chuckled at the light tickle of the creature's teeny legs. "I can feel it walking around," was his mumble of amazement. He reached up, carefully running a finger over the delicate wings. Even though they were transparent and swirled with blue energy, they were still solid to the touch.  
  
"Wow. I never thought you could do something like this. I've never seen you use your powers'cept for on some sandworms and the Drinker a couple years ago," he mumbled, staring in fascination.  
  
Endri smiled, still holding his friend. The human's shoulder rested against the side of his chest, and his arm wound around the man's back, keeping him secure and offering silent support. "I rarely use my powers."  
  
"You should more often. I'd love to see you do those tricks Beetle does," the human mumbled, staring at the little butterfly in his hand. "This is so beautiful."  
  
Endri grinned. "Would you like to keep it?"  
  
Surprised, Kyle looked up. "Keep it? As in_keep_ it?"  
  
"_Aa_."  
  
"You can do that?" he asked, looking back to the butterfly.  
  
"Do you want it?"  
  
The human glanced back up at Endri, then to the insect again. "Well" It walked along his finger, tickling as it went. "_Heh_sure. Yeah, can I have it?"  
  
"Of course. Hold it in your palm."  
  
Kyle let it walk into his palm, and it stayed there, obeying the commands from the ghost.  
  
"Just hold it. Give me your other hand." Endri took the man's other hand when it was offered to him and held it above the butterfly, slowly pressing it down over top of the creature. Its wings spread open and lowered all the way down to his palm, trying to keep from being touched.  
  
"Hey, you're gonna squish it!"  
  
"Just watch," the ghost assured. He pressed the man's hands fully together, and a blue flash erupted from between his fingers for a brief second.  
  
Kyle jumped a bit, startled, and separated his hands, looking at them. "It tingles. Where'd it go?"  
  
"It's inside you."  
  
"In me?" He stared at his hands again. "How do I get it back?"  
  
"Just think of it. Think about the butterfly, and use your mind to 'ask' it to come back out."  
  
"_Ask_ it?"  
  
"It's a give and take thing with this kind of energy. It's in there, but you have to have respect for it or you won't be able to use it. Give it a try."  
  
Kyle gazed at his hands and frowned in concentration. Nothing happened. "Well, I'm asking, but I'm not getting an answer." He chuckled.  
  
"It will probably take time. You've never had to use a power like mine. Just practice."  
  
The human concentrated again, frowning and tensing.  
  
"No, no. You must have a clear mind. You can't be so tense. Relax and let your mind drift. Just think of the butterfly, that's all you need to do." He moved his hands in a calming motion: palms facing down and acting as though he was pressing down on something.  
  
Kyle sighed and cleared his thoughts. His eyes opened to stare dazedly at his hands. Nothing.  
  
Endri smiled. "Wellnot everyone is a natural. But I'm sure you'll get it sometime."  
  
The human smirked. _I'll show him._ His thoughts cleared again, and the image of the butterfly imprinted itself in his mind as he closed his eyes once more.  
_   
Relax.  
_   
A small ball of blue light formed in Kyle's palm.  
_   
Concentrate.  
_   
The blue light melded into the shape of a butterfly, and when it fully developed, it walked along his hand. The human opened his eyes to gaze at his handiwork.  
  
Endri just grinned. "Well, I guess there _are_ naturals _ne_? Very nice."  
  
Kyle played with it for a bit before asking, "How do I put it back?"  
  
"The same way as before."  
  
Gently, he pressed it between his palms, and it flashed and vanished again. "Well, that's easier than pulling it out," he said, wiggling his tingling fingers.  
  
"_Aa_. But with more practice, you'll be able to draw it out and play with it without even thinking."  
  
Kyle looked up to Endri, smiling. "Thank you," he said, wrapping his arms back around the ghost and hugging tightly.  
  
The blonde hugged back, a smile on his lips as well. "You're welcome. I told you I'd give you anythingdo anything for you._ My best friend,_" he whispered.  
  
Kyle clung tight, his heart swelling. "Endri, you're absolutely the _best_ thing that's ever happened to me! I'd fall apart without you!" New tears pricked at his eyes. What a roller—coaster he had been on lately!  
  
"You're the only thing keeping me goi–_ugnn_" The ghost slumped forward, his eyes slipping closed.  
  
Now it was Kyle's turn to support Endri. "'Dri? 'Dri!"  
  
Huffing for a breath, the ghost reached up with a shaking hand to lay it on his friend's arm for support. "S—SorryI seem to be tired still."  
  
The human stood, pulling Endri along with him. "We're going back to your room right now. You need rest."  
  
"_I feel so weakall the sudden._" the ghost mumbled absently, his eyes having a hard time staying open.  
  
"Let's go. Come—on," Kyle coaxed, toting Endri to the back door and up to his room where he laid the ghost to his bed and drew the covers around him. Gently, he brushed the ghost's blonde hair from his face. "You be okay?"  
  
"Mm" Endri agreed, lightly panting.  
  
"Sleep, then. Wake up when you're ready. I'll still be somewhere around the Roadhouse, 'kay?"  
  
"Okay."  
  
Kyle smiled. "Take it easy, Partner." He patted his friend's shoulder and watched as he blinked and closed his eyes. He left, then, closing the door quietly behind him.

* * *

First off, I feel dumb for not putting translations of the Japanese I was using during the first three chapters. So, below are all the Japanese words used in this fic so far, up to this chapter.  
  
Japanese / pronunciation / English Translation:  
  
sensei / sen-say / teacher; master  
kashikoi / kah-shee-coy / wise; clever; intelligent  
kata / kah-tah / form (martial arts, dance, etc.); posture; style  
gi / gee (g in "gun") / training uniform worn by students or users of martial arts  
bakayaro / bah-kah-yah-roh / You fool!  
Genki uzu saru! / gen-kee oo-zoo sah-roo / Energy vortex, go away!  
hai / high / yes  
aa / ah / informal "yes"; yeah  
ne / neigh / say; eh?; hmm?; huh?; attention getter  
  
There, hope that helped some of you out. Now, I'll say a few words about this chapter. Uhhh...oh, right! Sorry, I'm a bit off tonight. So we discovered what exactly was wrong with Endri! He's nuts! Haha! No seriously, he's gone insane. I won't say exactly HOW yet; I'll just let you discover for yourselves. BJ explained what exactly Necromania (what Endri has) is, so I'm not gonna do it again. All I'll say is that it's not cureable. Once a ghost develops this (they don't catch it, mind you, it's not a disease), they have it forever. If they ever wanna be normal again, it's a matter of suppressing their insanity, not taking pills to get rid of it. Kyle finally released his heartache, unable to really do so since Pepper left him. Good ol' Endri was there to catch him on the way down. Oh, and that thing about Scuzzo having Necromania, and that's why he's insane...I DID make that up, you know. I just thought it would be a really good explanation to why he's so bonkers all the time. :P  
  
Anyway, thanks for reading my dribble so far! hugs everyone See you all next chapter! 


	5. Torn Asunder

A story about life, love, courage, and testing ultimate friendship. What happens to Beetlejuice and his friends when one of their own falls into despair and changes completely? Nothing will ever be the same. This story is an **Alternate Universe** set five years after _Dark Shadows_ in the year 2008, and does **not** follow the intended story line. I repeat, this story does **NOT** follow the intended story line of the two stories (_A New Beginning_ & _Dark Shadows_) included in my _Beetlejuice Afterlife_ series, which is why it is simply titled "Mania" and not "Beetlejuice Afterlife – Mania". If I have someone ask me why I would put this as a sequel, I'll ignore them, because, right here it says: **THIS STORY IS NOT A SEQUEL**. This story was just bursting to be written, but I have no intention to make it part of my previous series. It just happens to use that series' events as a prelude. I hope there is no confusion.

* * *

Hehe! I'd like to thank Wanda for the exceedingly long review! hugs I like them RP reviews from you, Wanda-chan, and as soon as you update your story hint hint I'll give you one as well. Thanks also to everyone else who reviewd and made my day a little brighter, namely Maya Beebop (who has excellent fics herself) and Kelly (who has fics posted on my website), and also Li-Leah from deviantART.com. I'm so glad you guys like it! hugs everybody  
  
Let us proceed onward, shall we? 

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Mania  
Spencers13 – March 2003–March 2004  
R – Drama – Angst 

  
  
Chapter Five – Torn Asunder  
  
Another two days went by without incident. Endri woke in the afternoon of the third day and groggily made his way downstairs. He tripped on one or two steps, but made it down with relatively no problems. Upon entering the kitchen, he noticed Kyle and his father eating a lunch of soup and sandwiches.  
  
Beetlejuice dropped his wriggling "grubwich" back to the plate and leapt up, running over to hug his son. "There's my boy! Didja sleep good?"  
  
The ghost smiled and hugged back. "_Hai_, Papa."  
  
Kyle pulled out a chair next to his and said around a half full mouth of food, "Haba seat! 'Ungry?"  
  
Grinning, Endri licked his lips. "Mmm." He sat down just as his father set a plate of "normal" sandwiches in front of him. Immediately, he started eating.  
  
Kyle swallowed his bite. "Damn, man. You're eatin' like you've been starved!"  
  
The ghost looked as if he was about to reply, but his mouth was too full to form words.  
  
"Well, he hasn't eaten in over two weeks save a half bowl of cereal," Beetlejuice answered for him.  
  
Kyle chuckled, nodding. "Ah, well, I guess you _are_ starved, then, huh?"  
  
Endri smiled around a mouthful. Soon, he had the entire plate finished off, and he stood to excuse himself. "I think I'll take a shower. I feel a little dirty," he said, running a hand over his chest and up over his face to glide the fingers back through greasy hair.  
  
Smiling, his father indicated the door toward the living room. "Knock yourself out, kid."  
  
Endri made his way out through the living room to the stairs, then up to the bathroom at the end of the hall on the second level near his bedroom. After pulling a towel from the cabinet near the locked door, he turned on the water to almost scalding hot. It was a habit of his to use hot water instead of just warm. The light sting felt so much more invigorating.  
  
After stripping down and then stepping into the shower to bask a few minutes in the thick steam and hot spray, the ghost reached for the shampoo, scrubbing it into his hair. Conditioner followed closely behind, and after that, he washed his body with a washcloth and soap. All the while, his mind was working, unconsciously going about the normal activity of showering but thinking of something totally different.  
  
_Maybemaybe things aren't as bad as I thought. Everyone seems genuinely happy that I'm around. Of coursethey could be pretending so I won't become upset again._ He paused. _But I know Kyle isn't. He can't be. He cares about me, I know. I can feel it when I'm around him._ A soft sigh escaped his lips to play with the steam from the shower. _Ah, he's so wonderful. He risked his life to save me. That says so much, doesn't it? I at least have **him** for a true friend._  
  
Endri sighed again. _II feel pretty good, actually. I don't feel very oppressed anymore. I'm here, taking a shower in the upstairs bathroom. Yes, I think I have a firm grip on myself. I'm just fine. I don't have any mental disorders. Me? Endri Juice? Have a mental disorder? Not likely. I do **not** have the Mania! I'm just **fine**._  
  
At that firm resolution, the ghost's shower was ended. He turned the squeaky faucets off and pushed the tattered shower curtain back. Reaching over, he picked his towel up from the towel rod and dried himself with it, making a mental note to take a trip to the Real World and buy a new set of towels. Beetlejuice's set was rather ratty.  
  
Wrapping the towel around his waist and securing it there, he reached up and wiped the condensation from the mirror over the sink. He stared into the pale reflection that stared right back for a moment before picking up his brush. He ran it through his damp hair several times, straightening the blonde locks and removing any tangles. After a moment, he leaned in close to examine his sparkling eyes, not even noticing the tiny rings of red around them.  
  
_YesI'm fine._  
  
Endri's reflection blinked. But _he_ did _not_.  
  
Backing away in surprise, the ghost stared as his reflection moved of its own accord, grabbing the sides of the mirror and pulling itself out. It landed with a heavily—booted clunk on the tiled floor in front of Endri, wearing his old outfit of black boots, pouches, and a trench coat. The apparition smirked evilly.  
  
"Well, well, well" he looked his counterpart up and down, "what have we here?"  
  
The Endri wearing only a towel backed into the cabinets next to the tub. "Wh—Who are you?"  
  
The other grinned. "Endriethi Hidari. I'm you."  
  
"Me? But"  
  
"You've flipped out. Gone off the deep end. Otherwise, I wouldn't be standing here. Don't you remember all the problems you had a few years ago, Endriethi Kenri? I came to you in your dreams." He spoke lowly, advancing one step at a time.  
  
"Y—You're the part of me that likes conflict! I thought I got rid of you! I thought I flash burned your body in the forest!"  
  
"Fool! You can never get rid of me! I _am_ you! Without me, you aren't yourself. Look at you. Why are you backing away from me? Why do you fear me?" He reached up to hold Kenri's shoulders against the cabinets.  
  
"I—I–"  
  
"It's because we are no longer one. You are the weak, jittery counterpart of our whole. While we are apart, we aren't the same as the whole." Hidari eyed his counterpart, his left eye with the red Mania ring, the other back to normal. "And I will be damned if I will get back together with a pathetic excuse for a being like you. I'm glad I finally went off the deep end. Otherwise, I would never have my freedom."  
  
"Wh—What do you want with me?"  
  
He smirked. "Nothing much. I just want to be free to make my own choices. Without your nagging influence, I can finally be who I'm supposed to be."  
  
"Who are you supposed to be?"  
  
Hidari grinned, exposing all of his teeth and overly sharp canines. "You should already know, but since you're a simple-minded fool, I'll go ahead and enlighten you. I am a warrioras I was always meant to be. A _Viking_ warrior."  
  
Kenri's eyes, colored opposite of his twins'–the right with the red Mania ring, and the left back to normal–widened. "W—Warrior?"  
  
"Think of it. How I used to be. I never took orders from anyone. I lived free and wild–taking what I wanted and destroying anything I wanted! I was a pure Viking!" Hidari closed his eyes as a soft smile caressed his lips. "I long to be again."  
  
"No! No, please, don't go back to that chaos! I don't want to hurt people or take their things. I just want to live peacefully."  
  
"Not _this_ time, my little Kenri. I've become too frustrated as of late, being hindered more and more behind your kindness and caring. A _real_ Viking doesn't care about others. A _real_ Viking only pillages, rapes, kills, and destroys whatever is in his path! And if you haven't checked lately, we _are_ a real Viking! The blood resting in our veins is pure and untainted!" Hidari growled, tilting his nose up and squinting as if smelling something rancid. "And I know you have forgotten who you really are. You refuse your own heritage. You disgust me."  
  
Kenri frowned. "I haven't forgotten. That's why I tried to change my way of living. Your selfishness and barbarism makes _me_ sick."  
  
Hidari laughed, showing his sharp canines again. "You can't stop me from doing what is in my blood. My power exceeds yours, you _weak_, little thing. I could destroy you so easily, and then I'd never have to worry about being weak ever again." He lifted his hands from the cabinets on either side of his opposite and brought them closer to his neck.  
  
"W—Wait!"  
  
Hidari paused, curious.  
  
"You can't destroy me."  
  
He frowned. "What?"  
  
Kenri swallowed nervously. "I—If you destroy meyou'll be destroying a part of yourself you can never get back. You could never be whole again without me. You'd go even _more_ insane without me. I keep you rooted to reality. We need each other."  
  
The dark Endri looked his lighter counterpart over, taking in his own form clad in only a towel. "HmmI've never considered that before." He ran his hands over Kenri's face and down his bared chest, the exact same as his own, only a little more slender and less muscular. "WellI guess I could spare your wretched existence. But, just for being so sweet and loving to all those pathetic Humans over the years, and especially for actually caring about that fool father of ours and his annoying human mate, I think I'll punish you."  
  
"P—Punish? But–"  
  
Hidari licked his lips, running his hands up to his opposite's neck once more. "Mmand it will feel so good to finally get a taste of someone's blood again, even if it _is_ my own." He squeezed Kenri's neck tightly, loving the choking sounds produced from the weaker ghost's parted lips.  
  
Kenri reached up and laid trembling hands to his bad side's wrists, tugging helplessly against the iron grip. His air cut off, but that didn't matter much. It was the pain that sent him to his knees before his superior–the pain and the weakness.   
  
"_P—P_" he croaked out, tears gliding down his cheeks. "_I_"  
  
"And I'm sick of myself!" Hidari shouted, releasing one hand to rear back and smash the fist into Kenri's stomach.  
  
  
  
  
  
Downstairs, Kyle and Beetlejuice still sat in the kitchen, chatting about the next Neitherworld Groan Prix and how they will enter it that year with a supped—up Doomie. They were _sure_ to win _this_ year.  
  
A piercing cry from upstairs startled them, and they looked at each other for a split second before tearing from the room. They ran upstairs and down the short hall to the closed bathroom door. Beetlejuice was the first to knock.  
  
"Endri? Endri, you okay in there?"  
  
A harsh voice yelled from inside, "_Get lost!_"  
  
The ghoul blinked and glanced to Kyle in surprise. "Uhare you all right, son? You don't sound yourself."  
  
"_I said get out of here! I'm busy!_"  
  
Quietly, Kyle put his ear to the door. Inside, he heard muffled shuffles, whimpers, and grunts. "_BeetleI don't think he's okay. Somethin's wrong,_" he whispered.  
  
"_Yeah, I guessed that,_" the ghoul whispered back.  
  
Hidari's almost gravelly voice was heard through the door at that point. "_Shut up! You're the one who deserves this._"  
  
Kenri's voice followed, strained and whimpering. "_Ah! N—No more! Please, it hurts!_"  
  
Beetlejuice and Kyle exchanged worried glances, thinking both voices came from only _one_ person: the whole Endri.  
  
The ghoul reached up and pounded on the door. "Endri, what's going on in there?!"  
  
"_Nothing, Father. Get the hell out of here!_"  
  
Confused, Beetlejuice asked, "Father? But you've been calling me 'Papa'."  
  
"_I would never consider you my 'Papa', you murderous bastard! Now get the **fuck** out of here!_"  
  
The ghoul frowned. "Open this door right now!"  
  
"_Leave!_"  
  
"_Iya! Help me, Papa!!_"  
  
Kyle whirled on Beetlejuice. "If you don't break the door down, _I_ will!"  
  
The ghoul grit his teeth and pounded his foot into the door, popping it open. Inside, two men knelt next to the tub, one bent backwards over the rim, his head dipping below and out of sight, and the other kneeling before him, his long, blonde hair hiding his face. The dominating man had his right arm cocked back, ready to deliver a blow, and his left hand disappeared into the tub, holding his captive still. His black trench covered the nakedness his victim now displayed, since his towel had been lost in the earlier fray.  
  
"What the hell–?!" Beetlejuice shouted.  
  
Endriethi Kenri whimpered from inside the tub, his voice echoing a bit. It was surprising his back wasn't broken, the way he was bent over it. "_P—Papa_"  
  
The ghoul assessed things quickly. "What the _hell_ are you doin' to my son?! Who the hell are you?!"  
  
Beside him, Kyle almost gasped, but held it in just barely. He knew the back of that head, the trench coat, those black boots, and those blue jeans all too well. But what his brain couldn't register was why Endri suddenly decided to put that outfit back on. And who was the guy bent over the tub? From what he could see of the half-hidden man, he looked somehow familiar too. And did he call Beetlejuice "Papa"? Didn't _Endri_ call him that now? There couldn't possibly be _two_ of him, could there?  
  
Endriethi Hidari slowly lowered his fisted hand, a low hiss escaping his clenched teeth. "It figures you would ruin my fun, Father."  
  
Beetlejuice and Kyle's eyes bulged.  
  
"EEndri?" his father stumbled.  
  
Hidari faced them, smirking and still kneeling before Kenri.  
  
"Wellwho's that?" the ghoul asked, pointing to the man bent over the tub.  
  
Hidari smirked. "Aw, do you hear that? He doesn't know who you are, my weak little Kenri." He shifted his left hand's grip and grabbed Kenri by his hair, pulling his head up into view. The more placid side of Endri grunted in pain as his head snapped forward by the hair, forced to face Beetlejuice and Kyle.  
  
They both gasped.  
  
"_Two_ of them?!" Kyle shouted.  
  
"Kenri?" Beetlejuice wondered aloud.  
  
"I see no reason to explain anything to you fools," Hidari hissed, pulling a bruised and battered Kenri forward into his lap and wrapping protective arms around his middle. He reached up to painfully grip his counterpart's chin and tilt his head back to allow room for him to brush his lips along the weaker one's ear. "Now, go away. I'm busy."  
  
Beetlejuice frowned. "What are you doin' to him–to you?"  
  
Hidari smirked. "I'm just playing with myself. No harm in that."  
  
"_I—Iya_! He's bea–!"  
  
Endri's warrior side clamped a hand over Kenri's mouth. "Shut up, weakling! You deserved it."  
  
"How could you _do_ that to yourself?!" Beetlejuice gasped.  
  
"Quite easily. He's so weak compared to me. There is no way he could put up a good fight. Besides, he _wanted_ it. Didn't you?" he cooed, tilting Kenri's head more to nip playfully at his ear.  
  
The weaker of the two whimpered, tears on his cheeks. "H—He's mad. Don't believe him!"  
  
Kyle's eyes widened and Beetlejuice glanced at him a quick second. "Mad?"  
  
"H—He wants to go back to the way it was. He only wants to hurt people. He said it's m—my fault for him being so nice. I just don't want anyone hurt! Especially my friendsand K—Ky—_chan_."  
  
Hidari growled, scowling at the two intruders. "I've had enough of this. Get out of here. Both of you. I'd like to finish what I started." He trailed his tongue up Kenri's ear then bit down hard on the lobe, drawing a slow flow of dark blood. The weaker of the two tried to arch away from his dark counterpart, eyes squeezed tight in pain.  
  
At long last, Kyle stepped forward a pace. "No, stop it!"  
  
Hidari's head whipped toward him, eyes wide.  
  
"Leave him alone! He's you! How could you do that to yourself?!"  
  
Hidari frowned, gripping Kenri possessively. "He _is_ me. I can do whatever I want to myself. No one can tell me otherwise."  
  
Fortune smiled upon the human as he remembered something vital told to him a few weeks ago. Endri would bow to no one's will but his ownor Kyle's. "I saidleave him alone," the human pushed, his voice quiet and forceful.  
  
Hidari glared, but indeed halted his assault on his counterpart. He didn't, however, move away.  
  
Kenri reached out weakly, trembling, bleeding, and crying. "_K_"  
  
The human knelt to the floor, reaching out one hand. "Come here, then. Come—on."  
  
Kenri leaned forward more, reaching out further. Surprisingly, Hidari made no move to stop him.  
  
"C'mere, 'Dri. Come—on," Kyle coaxed, beckoning with his fingers.  
  
Kenri crawled from Hidari's lap and over to curl against his human friend in an almost fetal position, whimpering. Kyle wrapped his arms around him, hugging comfortingly, then reached down to pull the discarded towel over him.   
  
"It's okay, 'Dri. We'll figure things out. You'll be okay," he soothed.  
  
Suddenly, Hidari growled, swiveling around to crouch on his hands and feet. "MmmI hadn't thought of taking you both on at once. It's been a while since I've battled a group of people. That sounds like fun."  
  
Beetlejuice jumped in at that point, grabbing Endri's bad side and lifting him to stand, slamming him against the opposite wall. "You can't be my son! My son would never be so cruel and heartless!"  
  
Hidari just laughed in his face. "So! You think I'm heartless _ne_? How correct you are. And I am very frustrated for not being able to be my true self for so many hundreds of years, so I plan on taking it out on one or both of them," he hissed, pointing to both Kyle and Kenri huddling on the floor. "Now release me before I hurt you." He punctuated his statement by glaring with malice from two different eyes.  
  
Kyle's voice reached Beetlejuice's ears from behind. "Beetle, he _is_ your son! But he's just a _part_ of him! It's like he's been 'split' into two different personalities. One good and one bad."  
  
The ghoul's eyebrows rose in recognition. "Of course."  
  
A feral smirk spread over Hidari's lips. "So, the old fool gets it finally. It only took my human's sharp intellect to figure it out _for_ you."  
  
"_Your_ human?"  
  
"_Aa_Kyle is mine."  
  
The human still sat on the floor, slowly rocking Kenri. He frowned up at the harsh counterpart. "And what makes you think that?"  
  
Hidari chuckled, directing his voice over to Kyle but staring his father in the eyes. "I see no other ghost or ghoul with a claim over you. That stupid wife of yours left, so now you are free for _me_. I've always wanted a human for a pet, but never got around to it. I think you'd be perfect."  
  
Beetlejuice growled. "Well, _I_ don't. I won't have you skipping around the Roadhouse assaulting _yourself_ or keeping anyone as pets while I'm here!"  
  
Hidari laughed at him again. "Oh, please, Father. You couldn't even dream to stop me. You're just as weak and pathetic as my jittery Kenri over there."  
  
With a hiss, the ghoul reared back and decked Hidari across the cheek. The ghost's body suddenly enveloped in blue light, then vanished in a streak down to combine with Kenri still cradled in Kyle's arms. The battered ghost glowed the same bright blue, then faded back to normal.  
  
Blinking, he looked up. "KKyle?"  
  
The human gazed down at him, worried, still. "'Dri? Youokay?"  
  
"What are you doing in here?" His head turned to the side. "Papa? What's going on?" He looked around, confusion eating him up. "Why am I on the floor?" A hiss escaped his lips when he realized he was nude with only a ratty towel loosely covering him.  
  
Kyle swallowed, using his scientific and very fast brain to come up with an elaborate excuse as to what happened. "Uhhhhslipped!"  
  
"Yeah! And you shouted when you fell," Beetlejuice chimed in.  
  
"So we came up to check on you."  
  
"And we saw you laying on the floor."  
  
"So I got down and helped you up. You okay?"  
  
The ghost rubbed his cheek, feeling a throbbing soreness there. "Ifell?"  
  
Kyle nodded rapidly. "Oh, yeah. Smacked your head too. You were out cold when we got here."  
  
Endri frowned, rubbing his cheek a little more. "It does kind of hurt a littleand my stomach too." He reached down to rub there, trying to alleviate the throbbing ache. He must have fallen against the edge of the sink when he slipped. But, when did he slip? He had no memory of that ever happening. Strange.  
  
"ButI'm fine now." Standing, he secured the towel around his waist once more. "I'd like to finish cleaning up, then, if that's all right."  
  
Beetlejuice and Kyle nodded hurriedly.  
  
"Oh, yeah! Yeah, that's fine! You do that, kid. We'll be downstairs." The ghoul walked past his son and pushed Kyle out through the half broken door, closing it behind them.  
  
Endri only shrugged and went back to brushing his hair, but, for some odd reason, avoided looking into the mirror.  
  
  
  
  
  
In a rush, Beetlejuice and Kyle skidded into the kitchen downstairs.  
  
The ghost turned to his human friend, worry dripping from his tone. "I think I know what happened."  
  
Kyle plopped into a chair. "Pleaseenlighten me. I'd really like to know why I suddenly had _two_ best friends, and why one of them wanted to beat up on the other just for being nice and then turn _me_ into some kind of Human pet." He paused. "Aietell me before my brain goes on overload." He leaned onto his elbows and held his head in his hands.  
  
"His personalities split, just like you said. One good and one bad, respectively. It happened to me once a long time ago." He paused to look almost sad. "But when I did it, I said a pun that came true. Endri doesn't do that because he's got such a good grip on his powers, even with his 'instability' now."  
  
Kyle huffed and let his hands fall from his head, the backs of them batting against the table. "But _something_ had to make him split into two."  
  
The ghoul eyed him.  
  
Swallowing, Kyle got it. "His Mania."  
  
Beetlejuice nodded solemnly. "It's messing with him _and_ his powers. I'm afraid if we don't get him to calm down and help him to control his Mania, it's going to become so bad that he might do some serious damage to someone or the Neitherworldor himself."  
  
The human gripped his hair. "But what can we do? _Endri's_ the one who has to ultimately control himself and the Mania so it won't get so bad."  
  
"True, but with our help, it could push him along in the direction he needs to go."  
  
"What can we do?" he repeated.  
  
Beetlejuice sighed and began pacing on the opposite side of the table. "Kyle, I hate to say this, but you seem to be veryimportant to the kid. It seems he'll listen to you. Even his bad side listened to you when you told him to stop. You're gonna be the one to make a lot of this happen."  
  
"But what am I supposed to _do?!_"  
  
"He's your best friend, right? He trusts you more than anyone else because you've known each other for so long. Hell, the boy doesn't even trust _me_ as much as he does you."  
  
Kyle sighed, lowering his eyes. "Yeah, I guess so." Quickly, he looked up. "Wait a minute."  
  
The ghoul stopped pacing and put his hands up. "Now, I'm not askin' you to get all sweet on him–"  
  
"What?!"  
  
"I'm just asking that you use the trust you two have to help bring him back to reality!" He closed his eyes and sighed, letting the tension ease from his bones before opening them again to look at the human. "Kyle, I have a good reason to believe Endri would be happy just hanging out with _you_ for the rest of eternity. And I also have a good reason to believe he's afraid to lose you for any reason. That's why his bad side is so frustrated. His good side is trying so hard to be the best friend he can to you, and that's messing him up on the inside now that he has the Mania."  
  
Kyle eyed him. "What _exactly_ are you telling me."  
  
The ghoul sighed. "It seems his bad side has nothing more than an idle interest in you, like someone lookin' through a science magazine in the doctor's waiting room. That part of him could care less about you unless you're right in front of him and he _has_ to deal with you."  
  
"_Hn_that makes me feel _so_ special."  
  
"_But_his good side is all about you. You're Endri's best friend, you're on top of his list, you come first, no ifs, ands, or buts about it. If there's something wrong with you, he'll drop everything to try and fix it. I'm sure if you guys had a fight at this point, it might tip him off into some kind of violent attack, or even depress him into wanting to off himself again."  
  
"So _what_ are you telling me here?! Get to the fuckin' point!"  
  
Beetlejuice rolled his eyes. Kyle was smart, but sometimes he needed things spelled out for him. "What I'm saying is," he grumbled slowly, "that since you're so close to him, and he apparently won't let anyone else be as close to him as _you_ are, _you_ should be the one to take care of him and help get him back to his normal self. I know you don't wanna see him all broken up like he was that first night. I know _I_ don't. Pleasetake care of him. Stick close and take care of him."  
  
Kyle frowned and closed his eyes, folding his fingers together and covering the closed lids with them. An exasperated sigh slipped from between his lips. "I don't believe any of this."  
  
"I'm sorry, Kyle. You seem to've been dragged into this against your will. It's not your fault Endri has a fascination with you. But you have to admit, you have a huge pull on him. He listens to you and no one else it seems. Not even me, his own dad." He sighed, blinking slowly. "I just ask you: pleasetake care of my son. Just think about it. And don't give it any half—assed thought. Really _think_ about it. He's your best friend, ya know. He needs you."  
  
The human fisted his hair. "I don't know, Beetle. I just don't know."  
  
Beetlejuice nodded. "I understand. And it _is_ up to you, after all. Justthink about it."  
  
Kyle rubbed his hands over his hair and forehead. "'Kay, but I can't think here. I gotta head out somewhere." He stood and made his way out toward the living room with the ghoul following close behind.  
  
"Where ya goin'?"  
  
The human found his black double collar bomber jacket hanging on the coat rack next to the front door and donned it. "I'm not sure. Wherever I end up, I guess. Tell Endri I'll be back, but I'm not sure when. If what you say is true, he'll probably worry about me."  
  
"I will."  
  
The human opened one of the double doors.  
  
"Kyle"  
  
He turned his torso and head back to look.  
  
"Be careful. Andplease–"  
  
"Yeah, yeah, I know. 'Think about it.' Later, Beetle," Kyle mumbled, leaving.  
  
Beetlejuice sighed and turned to head upstairs. He hoped that the news of Kyle being gone for a while wouldn't upset his son too much.

* * *

Japanese / pronunciation / English Translation:  
  
Kenri / ken-ree / right the good/weak side of Endri's personality; the right side of something is generally the good side  
Hidari / hee-dah-ree / left the bad/strong side of Endri's personality; the left side of something is generally the bad side  
iya / ee-yah / No!  
-chan / chahn / a term of affection, usually used on women and small children - the word acts as a suffix to a name  
  
Some new translations for ya. Thank you so much for reading so far! Words of kindness or constructive criticism are always welcome and cherished! 


	6. The Challenge of A Lifetime

A story about life, love, courage, and testing ultimate friendship. What happens to Beetlejuice and his friends when one of their own falls into despair and changes completely? Nothing will ever be the same. This story is an **Alternate Universe** set five years after _Dark Shadows_ in the year 2008, and does **not** follow the intended story line. I repeat, this story does **NOT** follow the intended story line of the two stories (_A New Beginning_ & _Dark Shadows_) included in my _Beetlejuice Afterlife_ series, which is why it is simply titled "Mania" and not "Beetlejuice Afterlife – Mania". If I have someone ask me why I would put this as a sequel, I'll ignore them, because, right here it says: **THIS STORY IS NOT A SEQUEL**. This story was just bursting to be written, but I have no intention to make it part of my previous series. It just happens to use that series' events as a prelude. I hope there is no confusion.

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Thank you to whomever reviewed! hugs my readers and reviewers In this chapter, we catch a glimpse of Endri and Kyle's past near when they first met. Endri's still nuts, and Kyle has to do some really deep considering. :P

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Mania  
Spencers13 – March 2003–March 2004  
R – Drama – Angst 

  
  
Chapter Six – The Challenge of A Lifetime  
  
Weeping Woods was quiet and sereneexcept for the weeping of the willows. It was depressing, but at the same time, soothing to a middle—aged human resting in the grass near the small shore of a pond of tears. The pond had formed from the crying willows as their tears shed from their drooping leaves to drip to the forest floor and trickle down in small streams that flowed into the pond.  
  
Who knew the Neitherworld could be so beautiful?  
  
It was still afternoon, around three o'clock, and Kyle sat in the soft grass, picking at it absently at his side and staring into the pond. A deep sigh pushed through his lips, a sigh of utter confusion and disbelief.  
  
_I just don't believe this is happening to me. I don't believe this is happening to Endri. This is all some sort of crazy, dramatic soap opera. My best friend's bad side wants to turn me into a pet for his amusement, and his good side is fixated on being my 'bestest best friend'._ He shook his head. _This is **too** much._  
  
The white—haired human continued to pick at the grass, throwing a couple blades to the side, then going back for some more. _So, Beetle wants me to seriously consider taking care of him, huh? How'm I supposed to do that?_ He waited for a while, just trying to clear his thoughts and think. _Iguess I'm just supposed to think logically about it. It's what I do best anyway._ He chuckled to himself. _Sometimes being a scientist is to my advantage, and sometimes it isn't._  
  
_Okay, so lets look at this logically. Endri has Necromania. I can deal with that. Beetle wants me to take care of him which means probably doing everything he can't do by himself anymore._ He took another pause to apparently think._ WellI guess I can deal with that too. Butwhat if he suddenly forgets how to do something basiclike go to the bathroom? Am I supposed to help him remember how to do that? I don't think I could deal with **that**._  
  
He sighed._ What am I gonna do? If I try to reject him or leave him alone or leave everything up to someone else, Beetle would be right. Endri'd probably flip out if he really cares about me that much. And I don't think I could live with myself if I was the cause of him going completely insane or hurting himself or someone else._ The human released another frustrated sigh and stared skyward. _Endriwhat are you doin' to me?_  
  
Shaking his head, Kyle returned his attention to the pond._ Nono, I won't be the cause of him flipping out. I care about him. I care a lot. He's done so much for me–promised he would do anything for me and give anything to me just to keep me happy. Well, where's my gratitude? I'd be a dirty bastard to leave him out in the cold to deal with this shit on his own. He's my best friend, and I have to do something to help. And if that something is to cook for him, stay with him all the time to keep an eye on him, or even_ he swallowed, _c—clean up after himwell, dammit, I will! I'm not gonna turn my back on him, not now after everything we've been through. I owe himso much. And, yes, I love him as if he was my own brother. Maybemaybe that'll be enough to make things run smoother for me, though. I just gotta remember that he's like a brotherand maybe it'll be easier to be with him all the time and take care of him._  
  
With a sigh of resolution, Kyle felt like a weight had been lifted from his being. _YesEndri, if you need me to take care of you, I'll give it a try. It's the least I can do for how amazing you've been to me over the years. You're the absolute best._ He chuckled to himself. _And I think I can be a little self—absorbed and say that I only want to be around and take care of the best._  
  
At that thought, the human leaned back into the grass and stared at the warped sky. He lifted his hands before his face and concentrated, and a few minutes later, the blue butterfly formed between his palms. Kyle played with it for a while until he almost swallowed it with a huge yawn, so he put it away and leaned back into the grass again. His lashes fluttered closed like the butterfly's wings, and he fell into a comforting sleep, lulled by the haunting sounds of weeping willows and slow, trickling tears.  
  
  
  
  
  
The sounds of strange Neitherworld birds and critters drew Kyle from his restful slumber. The eerie sounds, however, were counteracted by the gentle lapping of water on the three—foot—wide beach of the pond close by, so the haunting atmosphere was much easier to handle for a normal human.  
  
Blinking his eyes open, the man stared at the darkening sky. Purples, blues, and pinks swirled and collided, and a few stars twinkled in the darker parts of the atmosphere. Kyle smiled. Neitherworld sunsets were always the best.  
  
Sleepily, he looked off to the side and noticed Endri sitting nearby, cross—legged and staring at the sky. As the human watched, a gentle breeze tossed through the ghost's long, blonde hair. Endri sighed at the caressing feeling and closed his green eyes, savoring the contact of air and its sweet scent from the willows. When the breeze died down, the ghost again opened his eyes and returned them to the horizon.  
  
Kyle yawned, not really surprised to see his friend there at all, and sat up dazedly. His friend remained silent the entire time, not even looking over at the movement. Yawning again, he propped his arms onto his knees and his chin to his arms. He stared at the sunset again, silently joining his friend in the tranquil moment. That moment lasted for almost an eternity as the Neitherworld sun dipped well below the horizon. The panoramic color show had finally ended, but not without being stowed away in two men's memories for all time.  
  
Kyle sighed and laid back down to the grass, arms crossed behind his head for a makeshift pillow. "ManNeitherworld sunsets are really beautiful."  
  
"Mm."  
  
Rolling his head to the side, the human looked over at his long—time friend. Endri now had his eyes trained to the pond, watching the water ripple as new tears dripped in or flowed in from small streams trickling from further inside the forest.  
  
"How you doin', 'Dri?"  
  
There was a slight pause. "I'm all right."  
  
Kyle just watched him. "Just all right?"  
  
"I can't say I'm feeling fantastic, now can I?"  
  
He sighed. "Guess not." His eyes still took his friend in, never averting. "Is there anything bothering you? Besides the obvious, I mean."  
  
The ghost was quiet for a while before parting his lips to speak quietly, almost afraid to break the peaceful mood that surrounded them. "When Papa told me you had left for a while, I thought you'd only be gone an hour or so. But it was getting dark, and you still hadn't come home. Iwas worried."  
  
"So you came looking for me?"  
  
"_Aa_hope I didn't disturb youif you wanted to be alone."  
  
Kyle shrugged his shoulders as best he could for his position. "Naw. I was just sleeping anyway." He watched his friend closely. "Is that all? You were just worried about me?"  
  
Endri looked down to the grass finally. "Mm."  
  
The human smirked. "Come—on, now. Out with it."  
  
"Out with what?"  
  
"I know there's something you're not tellin' me. Let's hear it."  
  
The ghost stared at the grass, picking at it just a little. His pause was a long one. "I" he sighed, "I'm just being paranoid."  
  
"Well, what are you paranoid about?"  
  
He tossed a handful of grass to the side to free up his fingers to pick more, one blade at a time. "Idon't think it's really appropriate to talk to you about it."  
  
Kyle shrugged and rolled his head back to stare at the still darkening sky. "Well, I thought you could talk to me about anything. We're best pals, right?"  
  
"Mm."  
  
"But, if you really don't wanna sayI guess I'll have to live with it," the human consented, not wanting to push his friend where he didn't want to go. If he pushed too hard, he might push the ghost away from him, and that was something he couldn't afford right then.  
  
Endri fidgeted with himself a little, casting nervous glances toward his friend. When several minutes passed that way, with nothing but silence between them, he became frustrated and ripped up an entire handful of grass. The silence was too much. He had to break it, and the only thing he could think of was answering his partner's question from before, whether he really wanted to or not.  
  
"Kyle, II was afraid you were trying to avoid mebecause I'm acting strangely. I thought you didn't want to be around me anymore." He looked down, ashamed, but happy that there was speech between them again.  
  
Kyle looked over in surprise. "Why would you think that? I just said we're best friends. Why would I wanna avoid you?"  
  
The ghost shook one of his hands indicating toward his head. "Because I'mmessed up."  
  
Tisking his tongue, the human rolled his head to look skyward again. "It's not _that_ bad, is it? And even if it was," he looked over, eyes and voice soft, "I wouldn't try to avoid you because of it. We're partnersbest friends till the end. Forever, 'Dri. You and me. Okay?"  
  
With a swallow, Endri nodded, a light smile forming back on his lips. "I'll try to remember that. I'll do my best to."  
  
Kyle smiled broadly, letting his eyes drift to the side and toward the pond of tears only a few feet away. He watched as lightning bugs flew over it, tiny bolts of lightning zapping between them and the water here and there: a magnificent light show that sent its sheen out in ripples over the water.  
  
"Now I see why you like coming here."  
  
Endri continued to smile lightly. "This is the only place where I can think with no distractions. I feel at peace here."  
  
"It's really beautiful."  
  
"_Aa_."  
  
Sighing, the human closed his blue eyes. "I hope you're not mad at me for comin' here. I mean, this is _your_ spot to come to, not mine. I'm sure you kept it secret for a reason."  
  
"No, no, it's all right. It isn't like I own this place. You're free to go wherever you want," Endri admitted with a light shrug. "Actually, I don't mind at all. I'm kind of glad we can be here together." He paused to smile lightly. "It's nice."  
  
Kyle smiled as well, opening his eyes. "Sure is. I love spendin' time with you, 'Dri. I feel so bad that I hadn't been around for months at a time before. Peppershe had me convinced that I had to stay at home to be there for Faygo. But Faygo wasn't home half the time anyway–always off with her friends or something. And Pepper was hardly ever home either. But as soon as I'd try to leave, she'd be right there, asking where I was going–what I intended to do." He closed his eyes and bit his lip.  
  
"II'm sorry I let her walk all over me." He paused to sniff quietly. "Sheshe was trying to keep us apart for some reason. I think she was jealous of our close relationship." His right arm slipped from beneath his head to lay over his eyes, hoping to keep Endri from seeing the forming tears. "I don't see why, though. She h—had me wrapped around her fingera—and whoever else she was fucking at the time," he half whispered, voice trembling no matter how hard he tried to keep it still.  
  
Endri's soft voice drifted down to his ears. "You're still upset over that."  
  
"Why shouldn't I be? The woman I married and loved and had a child with used me simply because I was a human and was apparently good in bed because of it." His lips quivered. "Ith—thought she loved me. I—I really did." A hand came to rest on his upper arm, touching gently.  
  
"Kyle"  
  
The human grit his teeth and fisted his other hand into the back of his hair discreetly, pulling enough to make it sting. "I—I knowI'm just a crybaby. I should suck it up 'n take it like a man." He drew a ragged breath.  
  
Endri's hand massaged gently into his friend's upper arm. "No, that's not it at all. You're in great pain, Kyle. II want to help you in any way I can," he said, his voice that gentle hum that made Kyle believe every single word he spoke.  
  
The human pulled his arm away from his eyes and the other from behind his hair, tossing them to the grass to either side of his head. As he stared up at his best friend, his visage slowly contorted into pained sadness, and in a whimpering voice, he rasped, "_'Driwhy? Why's it gotta hurt so bad?_"  
  
The ghost could only shake his head.  
  
Kyle puffed out a light sob, letting a tear trickle from one eye.  
  
Endri hesitated, but another whimper from his friend sent him into motion. He leaned down and scooped Kyle into his arms, holding him against his chest. He tucked the man's head into the crook of his neck and cupped the back of his white hair. A strong arm wove around the human's back, and dexterous fingers massaged into the shoulder there lightly.  
  
Kyle cried brokenly, but quietly, fisting his hands into the ghost's white shirt and blonde hair that happened to be in the way. "_Y—You'd never h—hurt mewould ya, D—'Dri?_"  
  
"Absolutely not. Not if I could help it." Endri buried his nose into the human's unruly, white fluff, wanting nothing but to give him reassurance–give him everything he ever needed.  
  
Kyle's body trembled in the ghost's embrace, and he cried harder. He was pushed away just slightly, enough for Endri to stare into his reddened face and watch his tears flow freely. The ghost reached up to gently touch the skin of the man's cheek not yet wet with tears. Kyle opened his eyes, the blue irises shining brightly with crystalline tears along the bottom lids. A few broke free to spill down and join others that had already escaped in a deluge.  
  
Endri seemed mesmerized. "Kyleyou're in such pain."  
  
The human swallowed heavily and choked out a loud sob.  
  
"II want to take it away. You're too good to waste tears on that unfaithful woman any longer. She is nothing. You are _everything_." He swiped away one errant tear with a finger then lifted the digit to his lips, licking away the saline bead. "Don't cry for her anymore. I hate to see you cry." The ghost wiped away more of the raining tears along the human's left cheek and licked all the wetness from his hand. He crooked his index finger and swiped along the man's chin, catching more tears that dripped there. His lips sucked the liquid from his finger again. In a roundabout way, Endri was kissing his friend's tears away.  
  
Kyle whimpered and closed his eyes, gripping to his old partner tighter in his grief.  
  
The ghost finished wiping the human's left cheek, then went to his right, swiping his large hand over all the tears trailing there. Again, he licked his hand of every salty drop, the taste so unlike his own tears, he found he couldn't get enough of the flavor.  
  
The human felt his sadness abating, being more than distracted by Endri's kind actions. It was definitely not like him to act that way at all. But the odd behavior would be looked over that time. And, Kyle thought, it would have to be looked over for a long time to come.  
  
The blonde stopped licking at his own fingers and pulled back to look surprised at his friend.  
  
Kyle blinked at him, his face blank as one final tear dripped down.  
  
"II'm sorry, Kyle!" Endri stuttered, trying feebly to explain away his unusual folly. "I don'tI—I don't know what came over me! Y—You were sad, and II didn't want you to be, and then I just thought that if I maybe wiped a few of your tears away or something, you'd feel better, and then I just got carried away, and–"  
  
"'Dri."  
  
The ghost clamped his lips shut, nibbling on the inside of the bottom one worriedly.  
  
Kyle sniffed, smirking emptily. "It's okay, 'Dri. I know you only meant well." He looked up into his friend's swirling, green eyes. "AndI'm glad _you're_ the one here to wipe my tears and not someone else–someone who doesn't care as much as you do," he admitted, sniffing again.  
  
Endri's jaw worked with no voice.  
  
"II know how strongly you feel about me, 'Dri."  
  
Frowning suddenly, the ghost tossed his head to the side, looking away. "And how is that?"  
  
"Youcare about memore than anyone else."  
  
He huffed. "Of course I care for you. You're my best friend."  
  
"Nonot just best friends. Brothers. We're like brothers, Endri."  
  
Endri closed his eyes and swallowed, not looking back.  
  
"Endri, I know you don't like to consider yourself close to anybody. You don't like having strong emotional ties to someone because they could hurt you."  
  
The ghost growled in response, but said nothing. He really disliked having his psyche analyzed.  
  
"But it's different between you and me, isn't it? You're afraid people will hate you 'cause you're a ghost, but I don't. You're afraid people will run from you and all that 'cause you're a ghost, but I haven't. In fact, if you _weren't_ a ghost, I honestly don't know if we would ever have connected the way we did all those years ago. If you weren't a ghost when we met, we wouldn't be here today. Remember?"  
  
Endri hung his head, letting his hair droop down over his face. He nodded once, indeed remembering. It was a long time ago, back on Earth, a few days after they had met in a small, dingy bar in central Montana.  
  
Always wearing his dark sunglasses and an almost permanent frown on his lips, Endri stomped up the stairs in Kyle Bennington's home. He had been staying there for a few days, long enough to know his way around the large house and learn pretty much all of his new companion's quirks and habits. He was a basic human, but with more spunk, more style, more attitude, and more wit than the ghost had yet to find in anyone else he had ever met so far in his travels.  
  
"Kyle!" he called again when he reached the top of the stairs. He had been calling the white—haired man over and over for about five minutes and never received a response. It wasn't like Kyle to not answer his calls, at least not from his behavior displayed thus far.  
  
But, again, silence was all Endri heard.  
  
Frowning even more so, and quickly losing his patience, the ghost stalked right up to the human's bedroom door. It was closed, but he could sense the presence of a life somewhere beyond, so he knew Kyle had to be in there. Roughly, he rapped his knuckles against the wooden door, then waited for a response.  
  
Still, nothing answered him.  
  
Growling lightly, Endri grabbed the doorknob and twisted, throwing the door open with a light creek. It was late afternoon and fairly dark outside–dark enough to need lights turned on inside the house in order to see clearly. But the bedroom lights were off, showing dusk through the open windows.  
  
It was gloomy outside that evening–too gloomy.  
  
"Kyle?" he asked the dimness, unwittingly letting some concern leak through his voice. Dammit! He shouldn't be concerned! Who cared where the lousy human was? He would probably show up downstairs later like nothing had ever happened.  
  
Endri closed his eyes and concentrated on his emotions. _You have to rememberto care is to hurtto have emotions is to feel pain. Don't let them control you**you** control **them**._ He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, feeling the awkwardness of his worry drift away, back to where he kept everything else locked up.  
  
He paused. What was that smell? He inhaled deeply. It smelled like–another sniff–something familiar. Slowly, the ghost made his way across Kyle's bedroom toward the closed adjoining bathroom door. The scent was stronger there, and it smelled so familiar and good, it made Endri's head swim with euphoria. He stopped right next to the door and breathed in deeply, bracing his hands against the frame.  
  
_Oh, yes!_ He had to lick his lips to keep the drool from slipping out. As soon as his deep lavender tongue hit the air, he swore he could taste what he had been smelling: sweet, coppery ambrosia!  
  
That was when he suddenly realized what that heavenly scent was.  
  
Blood.  
  
But why would he suddenly smell such a thing now? Why did it throw his mind so easily back into his past; a past he would much rather forget forever? He thought he was over such an addiction, but realized that maybe he still had a bit of a junkie in him–like a reformed smoker who just _has_ to have one more for old times sake while surrounded by his smoking buddies.  
  
Shaking his head to clear it, Endri frowned deeply. Why would he smell blood coming from Kyle's bathroom?  
  
His eyes widened in realization. _Oh, no!_ Quickly, he tried the doorknob but found it locked. "Kyle!" he shouted, raising a fist to pound on the wood. "Kyle, open up! Open this door right now!"  
  
No one answered, and Endri began to fear the worst.  
  
He backed a few feet away and wasted no time, running full force into the door with his shoulder. Some of the wood splintered and cracked along the frame, but not enough for the door to open. He plowed into it again, and that time, the frame gave way.  
  
The ghost stumbled into the small room and skidded to a halt, everything bathed in darkness as the lights were off in there too. Light breathing reached his sensitive ears, and Endri couldn't help but feel relief at the sound. He reached to his side and felt along the wall for the light switch, flipping it on when he found it. The sight that met his eyes shocked him to say the least.  
  
Kyle Bennington sat, hunched over the rim of the bath tub with his elbows supported on the edge, letting his dripping wrists dangle into the large basin. Blood was smeared along the edge near his hands, and a large puddle had formed in the tub, beading up and rolling toward and down the drain. His entire body sagged with his head dipping below his shoulders. He sat on his behind, legs bent to either side of him, knees touching the outside of the tub and bare feet pointing away from his draining body. His skin had paled to almost bleach-bone white, eerily matching the crisp white of his hair. Even his lips were drained of their usually healthy, peach color.  
  
The scent of Kyle's blood was much stronger in the small room, and Endri had to stifle the sudden blood—rage that had been building since he first took a whiff of that alluring aroma. To him, the smell and taste of blood was a highly desired thing, but he couldn't get caught up in it now. Kyle needed his help!  
  
Quickly, he fell to his knees next to his barely new friend and gently tilted him back from his hunched position and into his arms. "_Kyle_" he said quietly, praying he wasn't too late.  
  
The human slowly blinked his eyes open, releasing crystalline tears to follow the paths of hundreds more that had already fallen. When his dull, blue eyes recognized his new friend, he weakly rolled his head away, moaning something unintelligible.  
  
"Kyle, no," Endri half whispered gently, using one hand to pull the man's face back into view. "Why?" As he waited for a response, he reached for the human's wrists still dangling over the tub. He pulled them together, holding the slashed flesh facing each other, and gripped them both tightly. "Why?" he repeated louder, suppressing the sudden desire to lick away all the blood on the man's hands.  
  
Kyle groaned in pain, blinking more tears free from his swollen eyelids. "_II'm tired,_" was all he managed right then, his words only a raspy whisper.  
  
"Don't go to sleep. You need to stay awake. Just hold on, and you'll be fine," the ghost assured, griping the man's wrists together tighter. Hopefully, he could keep him distracted enough to seal the wounds with his energy to stop further blood loss–like he could with small cuts and scrapes on himself. But would it be enough? It seemed the man had lost almost all of it down the drain already. It was amazing he was even still alive.  
  
How long had he been up there just letting his life flow away? Had Endri known Kyle was suicidal, he would never have left him alone. This was his fault. He should have been paying more attention! If he lost Kyle now, his hope for finding all the keys to the Worm Gates that century would be lost along with him. Was he selfish for wanting the human only for his help?  
  
"_N—Nothingno—one–koff—k—k!_" he choked weakly, his body jostling with each trembling cough spilling from his lips.  
  
"What? What are you talking about?" Endri asked softly. The urge to be disgusted by his "nice" behavior toward the human was banished quickly. Maybe not this time. Maybe he would give this one a chance. After all, he had never before met such a unique creature as that one. Perhaps it was time to lay down his sword and accept defeat. Well, accept it partially, anyway.  
  
Kyle moaned again, feeling the pain in his wrists turn to a statically charged tingle. It sent shivers up and down his spine, and he trembled, his head lolling to the side and against the ghost's strong chest.  
  
"_HHave noth—thingno one leftall gonethe last in bloodl—lineno more_" he trailed off, his eyelids drooping to conceal his dulling, cerulean orbs.  
  
"Stay awake!" Endri warned, giving his friend a jarring shake. He wasn't finished healing the man's wrists yet and needed more time. "Tell me more, Kyle."  
  
Kyle jolted when the ghost shouted, and his eyes blinked back open, more alert, but still so groggy. "_Noyou d—don' care_" Again, his eyes drooped.  
  
"Bullshit!" Endri yelled, shaking Kyle again.  
  
The human's eyes flew back open.  
  
"If I didn't care, I wouldn't be sitting here with you. I'd have turned and left your room before I even discovered you here. Or if I didn't care, I wouldn't have even gone through the house looking for you in the first place," he growled a little too angrily. He took a deep breath to steady himself. The strong scent of Kyle's blood was slowly driving him into a mad rage. He hadn't felt that kind of rush in a long time, but now wasn't the time to get angry or indulge in his old habits of blood—lust. Kyle needed support and help, not his blood drained into the ghost's mouth.  
  
_Dammit! Stop thinking that!_ he chided himself. The smell of Kyle's blood was _really_ getting to him, but he would control it. He _had_ to control it. It was in the past, and he had to leave it there, just like so many other things.  
  
"You say you're the last? In your whole family? Is that true?" he asked, trying to get the human to talk, to stay awake.  
  
"_Y—Yeahno more_" Kyle responded, more tears gliding down his cheeks. But he never cared at all that he was crying in front of his houseguest. He just didn't care anymore.  
  
"_This blood_" he went on, twitching his fingers to indicate his bloody hands in Endri's grip, "_is all that's left. O—Once_"  
  
"You fool," the ghost hissed. "Why spill your own blood? Why wipe out the last of your family's bloodline? You should strive to continue on! You should take another female and have as many children as you can! Pass your heritage on!"  
  
Kyle coughed weakly, his whole body trembling like a leaf in a hurricane. "_Nooo_" he moaned, grimacing and letting a deluge of tears pour over his cheeks from suddenly stinging eyes. "Never again! _I c—can't Sh—Shewas all I had. My Takentaken from me. Both gone_b—both g—gone!" he cried through sobs, his voice echoing in the hollow bathroom.  
  
"I know your wife and daughter were killed, Kyle, and I'm sorry it happened to you. But you _can't_ let it drag you down like this!" Endri argued. "Why are you doing this? Why now? You could have when you first found them, but you didn't. Why wait until now? What, did you want an audience? Or someone that could take the blame for your death so it wouldn't look like you did it yourself?"  
  
"_H—Heh—h—heh—heh–heh_" Kyle laughed weakly, trying to roll his head back and forth along the ghost's arm as best he could. "_A p—promisea fucking promise._"  
  
"A promise?"  
  
"_II tried to die thent—tried so hardbut Frankmy friendme promise himp—promise I wouldn't do it aagain. He saidgive life a try. Give at le—least a year to see._" He paused to catch his breath, the corners of his vision fading and becoming blurry at last. "_Todayone year. To—TodayI die._"  
  
Endri hissed through clenched teeth. Kyle seemed in such pain. Maybe it would be a mercy to let him die. Maybe he _should_ just get up and leave, never looking back. But, for once, his conscience wouldn't let him. _That_ human _needed_ to live. For some reason, _that_ human was _meant_ to live.  
  
"But you're giving up so much, Kyle. No, you're throwing it away! How dare you treat life like a cheap commodity! Do you know how many people commit suicide? And do you know how many of those people regret throwing their lives away? Every single one!"  
  
Kyle frowned. "D—Don't talk to me about fuckin' dead people!" he shouted, rebounding just slightly. "My entire family: dead! My wife: dead! My baby: dead! And the mother fucker responsible?! Dead! I saw it," he hissed, his eyes narrowing. "I saw it leaving after it ripped my family apart. I screamed when I saw them. It turned to look at me. And it justgrinned."  
  
He shivered, and Endri drew him closer with the arm wrapped around his back. His other hand still clamped firmly to Kyle's wrists, slowly sending his energy to the sliced flesh and healing it. He rejuvenated the cells and gave the human back some of his lost blood as well.  
  
"Then it talked to me. The fuckin' thing _talked!_ S—Spoke in some riddle. I still remember. 'Death walks. Death talks. Death comes for everyone's lives, everyone's wives. I walk. I talk. I come for everyone's lives, everyone's wives. Someday, my icy touch will find you as well, no matter where you will then dwell.'"  
  
Kyle's body shook with a wracking cough, and his once waning strength took a nose dive. That outburst cost him a great deal.  
  
Endri still held onto his friend, cradling him close and trying to rush with his healing. "I see," he hummed soothingly. "I see why you're so tormented."  
  
He let his gaze drift off over the human's hair, staring at nothing in particular. He would have to tread very, very carefully around Kyle. He could never reveal his status as a ghost, for the human could very well try to tear him apart just for being like the creature that killed his family. Associated hate wasn't a pretty thing. And that was all assuming Kyle lived past that day, and with the man's attitude the way it was, no amount of healing could save his life.  
  
"Kyle" he began, letting his voice soothe and caress, "I've known you for only a few days now, but I think I've picked up on you fairly well already. If you die today, you'll never be able to do the things you like so much. You'll never be able to drink a pot of hot coffee with cream in the morning. You'll never take another jog through the woods. You'll never wear those soft flannel shirts you love. You'll never be able to tinker with your inventions again, or your computer programs." His voice began to shake, an unexpected lump forming in his throat. Trying to save a human's life was hitting him right where it counted. If only it could have been easier to bargain with his own life.  
  
"And what about everything else you love? The grass beneath your bare feet; a fresh breeze in your hair; the snow in the wintertime and curled up in your bed under soft, heavy blankets; and sunsets. _Sunsets_, Kyle! Every evening, you're out there watching the sun set! Do you want to give up something like that–something so beautiful?"  
  
Tears were again in Kyle's eyes and on his cheeks. Endri's speech would have moved a wolverine just after someone insulted its mother, and the human was certainly no exception. He didn't want to give up those things, not really. But he had nothing more than those things to live for. And no man could continue to live simply to enjoy the simple pleasures in life. Too much else would get in the way.  
  
"_Butit's toolate,_" he moaned around a sob.  
  
"No, it isn't," Endri encouraged. "It's _never_ too late. It's never too late for _anything_." The ghost drew Kyle into his chest and held him tightly, the first hug ever given to him. "Live. Live, Kyle. Live, and I promise you revenge. Revenge on everyone who ever wronged you. Revenge on that creature that killed your family. I promise! And I _never_ go back on my promises!"  
  
The conviction in his voice snapped the human into a crisp, clear reality. The tone, the strength that poured from Endri's mouth seeped into Kyle and broke him out of his delusion. No, death wasn't the answer. Revenge! _Revenge_ was the answer! Suddenly, he no longer wished to die. He wanted to make that bastard creature pay for what it had done to him and his family. And pay, it would, he convinced himself, eyes scowling and staring at the white of Endri's shirt so close to his face.  
  
"_H—Help me,_" he growled, teeth clenched. "_Helpme live._"  
  
Endri nodded, his chin brushing the human's hair. But before he was able to move, Kyle stopped him.  
  
"_Wai—Wait. Promisepromise me so—something first._"  
  
"What? Anything."  
  
"_Never leave. A—Always stay with me._" He huffed for a breath, then sobbed unexpectedly, the tears flowing down once more. "_You'reall I have now. Don't–Don't leave meever. Please_"  
  
The ghost smiled sadly and twisted his head to look down at his friend. He watched the man try to sniff and swallow his tears without much success, and his still heart went out to him: the only human to ever move him so much.  
  
"I promise, Kyle. I will always stay by your side." He gently eased the pressure on Kyle's wrists, now fully healed. "I promise you. I will always be with you, even when you think you have no one and nothing. I will always be there for you. _I promise._"  
  
"It's my turn, Endri," Kyle said softly, sniffing away the last of his tears. "It's my turn to promise _you_. I'll always be by _your_ side. I'll always be here for _you_, even when you think you have no one and nothing. I promise you. I'll do everything in my power and put everything I can into helping you out of thisdisorder. I'll take care of you."  
  
The ghost opened his eyes and looked back slowly, the sparkling orbs glistening in the moonlight slipping over the eastern horizon. "Youwill?"  
  
Kyle nodded with conviction. "Or I'll die trying." He sniffed and reached one hand to wipe his eyes. "I know it isn't your fault. It just happened, right? You can't help the things that happened to you. I just wish I could've been there to stop this all before it started."  
  
Endri hissed, looking away again. "_Kuso_. I never wanted to put you in such a position! It _is_ my fault, Kyle. _I_ was the one who pushed my feelings and emotions away to seemingly protect myself. _I_ was the one who let them build and curdle to produce the emotionless bastard I am now. II _made_ this happen!" He blinked, shaking out of a daze he hadn't realized he was in. He had begun rambling like a lunatic. Kyle must think him a _complete_ nutcase. "_Sss__shimatta_. Sorry, I–"  
  
Kyle smirked. He felt his sadness abating the whole time his friend tried to explain away his mental instability without much success, and now it was almost gone–forgotten. "S'okay, 'Dri."  
  
"Kyle, I don't want this to affect us. I don't want our friendship compromised because of this mental problem of mine. I realize you don't exactly like the idea of caring for me. And believe me, I'd rather not depend on someone for my care. I'd rather do it on my ownbut I have a feeling you and Papa won't let me hear the end of it unless I relent." He sighed. "I justI don't want to make you feel awkward. I know I must be." Endri hung his head sadly.  
  
"'Dri. II admit, it _is_ a little weird now. ButI want you to know something very important."  
  
The ghost looked back up.  
  
"I—I'mI'm willing, Endri."  
  
"Willing?"  
  
"I'm willing to try taking care of you. You're my best friend, and you deserve all the help I can give. But please" Kyle put in quickly, "_please_I want to take it one step at a time. Thisthis is really new, and I've never done this sort of thing before, and I want to take things slowly. After all, the road to recovery is a long one. It might take longer than we both think, really."  
  
The blonde lowered his eyes, saddened. "Kyle, if you don't want to be around me or take care of me, just tell me. I'd understand. You don't have to make yourself be my caretaker to make me feel better."  
  
There it was! A way out! All Kyle had to do was take it, and he'd be in the clear! Endri wouldn't be so hurt if he just told him he really didn't want to take care of him right then. Butthat wasn't right. It would be like cheating–skipping out of the challenge of his life. And Kyle was never one to not take risks and be daring. And he was especially not one to break promises to his best friend.  
  
"No, 'Dri, I'm not," he said, taking the plunge he was sure would change his life forever. "It's just that I've never been anybody's caretaker before. I _am_ willing to take care of you, Endri. But you have to realize that it's gonna be just a little awkward for me for a while until I can get used to the idea ofyou know. But I _do_ want to try this. For you. Because I know you'd do the same for me."  
  
Endri swallowed, staying silent for a while. "Areare you sure? You're _really_ willing to stick with me so much? You're _really_ willing to be my caretaker?"  
  
It was now or never.  
  
Kyle nodded firmly. "Yes."  
  
That was it. That was his last chance. There was no turning back after that.  
  
The ghost tilted his head to the side, amazed. The wind caught his hair, then, tossing it in errant directions about his head and face. The human's eyes were locked to him, blown away by how normal he looked right then. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad after all. Maybe it wouldn't take as long as he thought to bring his friend's mind back to normal.  
  
He remembered the promises then–Endri's promise to him, and his promise to Endri. Such emotional turmoil they both had been through over the years; it was mind—bending. But it bent the ghost's mind a little too much. And now, there they were, sitting in the grass together, watching the night pass by slowly, promising again to always be there for each other.  
  
Kyle thought back for a little while, letting himself remember many of the trying times in his life Endri had been there to see and help him through. Always, the ghost had been there, just like he promised. So, now it was Kyle's turn.  
  
He sighed and leaned in to hug his old partner, whispering, "_You've always been the best to me, 'Dri._"  
  
"_How could I not be when you're so wonderful yourself?_" was the reply whispered just as softly.  
  
He chuckled and pulled back. "All right, all right. That's enough sweet, mushy shit." He stared at his friend for a time, just taking him in and scrutinizing what he saw. His thoughts drifted as his eyes took on a softer expression of remembrance. Again, he thought back over when Endri saved him from himself. The moving speech the ghost gave to motivate him to live made him frown with curiosity. "Hey" he said offhand, "how's come you knew all that stuff about me–that I liked flannel shirts and standing outside barefoot. Not to mention you knew I liked winter and being in bed with heavy blankets where it's warm. You'd only known me for four days!"  
  
Endri smiled sweetly and blinked a few times as if he hadn't registered a question had been asked at all. Then he closed his eyes softly and chuckled. "You underestimate me. That's a habit you seem to never let go of." Green eyes drifted open and settled upon Kyle. "I'm a very observant person, my friend. Even subtle things, I see, whether they register right then or not. When I first took you home from the bar and put you to bed, I took a tour through your house to see what kind of person you were and how you lived. You can tall a lot of things about a person from their home. I noted pictures, decorations, plants, wallpaper, even the way you had your furniture arranged–things of that sort. And your personal habits were just observation of how you behaved day to day. It was nothing so special. It's not like I read your mind." He chuckled softly. "That's something I _can't_ do."  
  
Kyle laughed. "Well good! No way I want you diggin' around in there!"  
  
Endri joined him. "Yeswho knows what embarrassing situations I could uncover." He finished his statement with a wink.  
  
The human glared, but couldn't keep it up, erupting into laughter once more. They both enjoyed a good chuckle for a while, glad to still be together after so many years of trials and hardships. It was pretty obvious that they'd _always_ be together–best friends till the end of time. It was something they both looked forward to.  
  
Blue eyes drifted skyward to take in the starry night. "Why don't we head on home?"  
  
Endri smiled and nodded. "All right. I'll fly us there."  
  
"_Oo_ sounds fun!" the human said through a toothy grin.  
  
"_Heh_"  
  
Both stood, and Endri took Kyle by the shoulders, spinning him around to face in the same direction.   
  
"What're you doin'?"  
  
"Would you rather see my hair or the ground the entire time?"  
  
"Good point."  
  
The ghost wrapped strong arms around his friend's slight waist. "Hold on tight."  
  
"You too, dammit!"  
  
Endri smirked. "I won't drop you, don't worry."  
  
They both lifted into the air and took off over the treetops, disappearing into the distance.  
  
Metal clanking resounded around the barely insulated room, punctuated by heaving breaths and soft grunts. The smell of sweat and perfume mixed almost pungently in the thick air, but no one seemed to notice, only those with more "delicate" noses. Little giggles rose occasionally, slipping from the muffled sounds of conversation that were sprinkled about the establishment.  
  
Women, of variable height and levels of beauty—but all beautiful—were the only patrons of the Neitherworld Unfitness Spa. It was the one place ran by beautiful people for beautiful people. It was the one place where the fairer Neitherworldians could come to mingle amongst each other and be pampered and preened, helping them to _stay_ fair. It was like a getaway from all of the rough, frightening, and disgusting everyday creatures that made up a large majority of Neitherworldians, and it was also a reassurance. Everyone who went to the Spa became reassured that they weren't the only ones in the Neitherworld who didn't look like grotesque creatures. It was a relief and brought about companionship for those who were segregated most of the time.  
  
It was the complete opposite of the Real World.A long bar stretched along one side of the establishment, providing drinks, food, and occasional good conversation with the tender who ran it. Barstools ran the length of it, all lushly padded so as not to harm one's backside from prolonged sitting. Currently, a woman sat in the center, surrounded by about three others, all of them paying undue attention to what she was saying. A few other girls were also being currently drawn in, leaving their workout equipment behind and toweling the sweat from their foreheads and upper chests as they made their way over to the bar. One lady, tall, with hair that flowed like black waterfalls past skin that was pale as ice, sat along the bar two stools away from the little gathering. She ordered a Bloody Mary, then sat and twirled in delicately around her fingers, silently eavesdropping.  
  
"Hehe was so wonderful. I was married to him once, too, ya know," the redhead in the center of the flocking females ranted. "Then I died, and everything went to hell," she moaned, cupping her head in her hands, letting the fiery locks spill out over her fingers.  
  
One of the girls bought her another drink of something obviously alcoholic. "Tell us about it, honey," she sympathized, touching the redhead's forearm. "The only thing that's good about being dead is the eternal beauty some of us still have. And even that sometimesjust isn't enough to make thisthis hellish world bearable."  
  
Many nods and Mm-hmm's and Absolutely's responded.  
  
"Here, Pepper, sweetie," another lady intoned, reaching down to pick up the newly ordered drink and handing it to the redhead. "Drink this; you'll feel better."  
  
Pepper took it from her and downed a quarter of it in one gulp. She had obviously been drinking before the conversation had been struck up. "Thanks, Jade."  
  
The green-haired woman nodded with a smile just as another girl reached up and massaged at Pepper's shoulders. "Could you tell us more, Pepper, dear? What was this guy like?"  
  
"Was he handsome?"  
  
"Was he daring?"  
  
"Was he good in bed?"  
  
A few of the women stared the speaker of that question down, and she shrugged with a light blush.  
  
"He was everything," Pepper moaned, staring at the bar in front of her. "He was human."  
  
Gasps resounded from everyone who heard that, drawing in a few more girls who literally ran from the exercising area and the undue attention of the black-haired eavesdropper two stools away.  
  
"_HUMAN?!_" Jade shrieked. "That's impossible! Where did you ever get a _human?!_"  
  
The other women chorused in, all asking how.  
  
"He was my husband when I was alive. He searched and searched for a way to get revenge for my death and the death of our daughter, and he eventually found his way hereto the Neitherworld."  
  
A few ladies mumbled amongst themselves, the phrase, "she's drunk" coming up a few times. But Pepper didn't care—that or she didn't hear—because she kept right on going.  
  
"So when we found each other, we got back together. We were together for a long time." She rolled her eyes and leaned to the side fluidly, swooning almost over-dramatically. "He was spectacular! Just being near him and smelling him made me drool! I never wanted him so much in my life. I realized after a while thatthat when ghosts make love with humans, it's like they get high off a drugand the drug is the human. But I realized that too latebecause I was already hooked to him." She dropped her eyes to the drink in her hand and decided another gulp would taste really good. So she drank another quarter of it and clopped the glass back to the bar.  
  
The hushed murmurs behind her started up again now that she wasn't speaking, but this time, she couldn't make out what they were saying. Not that she cared, anyway. The only thing she cared about was now long gone, and unwilling to return. Unwilling? Yes, of course Kyle would be unwilling to return to her now, after the things she said about him. She discovered he had heard everything she said to Beetlejuice about their relationship and how she felt about him.  
  
The love was gone. Only the sex remained. And sex was not something to base a relationship off of. And when confronted by Beetlejuice about it, she had confessed that. And Kyle had heard it all. She didn't know that, of course, until he showed up at their downtown home a few days later.  
  
He had knocked. Kyle had never knocked on that door before. And when he came in, his face was set in stone, his movements were rigid, and he barely spoke a word to her.  
  
She had uneasily welcomed him home with a smile, hug, and kiss on the cheek, trying to act as if nothing was wrong. But Kyle was a statue in her arms, and his flesh was cold to her lips for the first time ever. She had backed away, confused, and he said just one thing to her.  
  
"I know."  
  
He left her standing on the welcome mat, tears in her eyes, and he didn't care. He went to their room, the room he thought they shared out of love, and pulled out his duffel bag. He hastily packed his things: clothes, small accessories, a pair or two of shoes, and one picture of his family from when everyone was still alive. He took his things from the bathroom and threw them into the duffel as well, ignoring that Pepper was now standing in the doorway, arms crossed across her chest because she didn't know what else to do with them.  
  
Hastily, Kyle finished packing. There were some things he chose to just leave behind or things he could get Faygo to drop off at the Roadhouse for him because he couldn't carry anything else at the moment. He turned, duffel bag slung over his shoulder and a plastic bag full of more of his things in his other hand.  
  
For a moment, they just stared at each other, and Kyle could feel his nerve diminishing. But when he remembered the words he overheard from the hallway a few days ago, he became resolute.  
  
"I know what you think of me," he had said to his deceased wife. "And I know what you think of Endri. That, I could have forgiven easily. But after everything I heard you say from your own lips about our relationship_that_, I could never forgive. Faygo is grown and is on her own now; she doesn't need me here to 'take care of her'. You have someone else other than me. We have nothing, then, that binds us together. So, as of this momentyou are permanently dead to me."  
  
The pushed past her and left the house, slamming the door in his wake.  
  
And Pepper cried.  
  
Pepper was still crying, even as she gulped more of her drink down in the present. But her tears were silent now, reflexive almost. Just something that came with the hurt and emptiness that was left behind when Kyle slammed the door.  
  
And it was her own fault.  
  
That is what hurt the most.  
  
"I know you guys don't believe meand that's okaybecause I don't have him anymore. So why should I believe it either," she moaned, trying to drink more, but there was nothing of her drink left.  
  
Jade, obviously one of her closer friends, bought her another out of pity and placed a cool hand to her forearm again. "It's okay, Pepper. I believe you."  
  
"Well, I don't. That whole story was crap. There's no humans in the Neitherworld. You're so drunk, Pepper," someone from the back spoke up while others silently agreed.  
  
Jade leaned closer to her, petting at her fiery hair. "Ignore them. They never had a human. They don't understand. They just hear rumors and believe them right off. But don't ask me why they don't believe you right now. But I do, kay, kiddo?"  
  
Pepper held her head in her hand again at that point. "Thanks, Jade." She smiled faintly, glad that at least _someone_ thought she was telling the truth.  
  
The group of girls dispersed finally, everyone gotten their fair share of gossip and already turning it into something it wasn't. The only ones left at the bar were Jade, Pepper, and that black-haired eavesdropper who was still nursing her first drink.  
  
"Tell me," Jade said then, "why don't you have him anymore?"  
  
Pepper sniffled before replying, "I thought" she took a breath to steady her voice, "I thought he was, or at least wanted to be, involved with his friend."  
  
Her friend looked at her a little strangely before a little blush spread over her cheeks and she leaned in, whispering, "You meanguy on guy?" Her delicate, green eyebrow rose in anticipation.  
  
Pepper only nodded, feeling shameful and disgusted at the same time. She knew her former husband wasn't like that nor had any inkling of being like thatbut it was a convenient excuse, and she would use it to the fullest.  
  
A squeal rose in Jade's throat, and she clapped her hands together before composing herself quickly. "Sorryit's just thatit's such a turn on!" She giggled and spun back and forth on her barstool while her friend just rolled her eyes.  
  
"Well, not for me. It's disgusting and uncalled for. He should be a boyfriend, not have one. I justI couldn't stand that thought, and I hadI had to leave him." She sniffled a little for effect. It was unknown if she would ever bring herself to admit that she really left him because of the pressure from Beetlejuice about her own unfaithfulness. "And now he's even living with him! He moved right in after we broke up!"  
  
Jade shook her head. "The nerve!"  
  
Pepper nodded and drank some of her new drink.  
  
"Where is he living now anyway? I should go over there and kick is lily ass!"  
  
With a disinterested wave of her hand, she moaned out, "It doesn't matter anymore. Let them be together. I don't need him anyway."  
  
"But he's a _human_, Pep! You don't _need_ that?!"  
  
Pepper bit her lip and shook her head. But as much as she denied it, she was still a junkie who was having withdrawal symptoms even now. She needed him so badly, it hurt. Her hands shook with the need to touch his warm flesh, and her legs were weak with the need to wrap around his strong hips just once more. Just one more time to sate that tearing need in her gut. She needed Kyle again so badly, she thought she would throw up. Noshe _was_ going to throw up!  
  
In a flash, Pepper was jumping up and covering her mouth, running for the nearest bathroom. Jade remained seated at the bar, shaking her head. Maybe she shouldn't have bought her that last drink.  
  
A slight movement caught her pale green eye, and she turned to the left, noticing the door to the exit drifting to click closed. At the bar, sat a half-empty glass of Bloody Mary which the bar tender took away to dump and clean.

* * *

Japanese / pronunciation / English Translation:  
  
kuso / coo-so / Damn!  
shimatta / she-maht-tah / Damn  
  
I dunno if I'd trust Endri flying with me when he's got the Mania! :P But Kyle needs to encourage him. That's true friendship, right there. This chapter was about the deep connections of friendship and brotherly love those two have for each other. You don't see that everyday. shakes head sadly I like to write about the things that society is losing at a faster and faster rate these days. Deep, tried and true friendship is one of them. I can vouch for that one personally. --  
  
And dude...I made Pepper a bitch, didn't I! XD Lying to her friends about Kyle being with Endri to cover her own sorry, cheating ass? Oooo...low, Pepp...low.  
  
Pepper: You made me do it! X(  
  
sweatdrops Anyway... ; Tune in next time as...  
  
Pepper: And I'd better be getting a bigger role in your next story, or I'm complaining!  
  
raises brow To whom?  
  
Pepper gets a gleam in her eyes: Endri.  
  
Oh-KAY! Bigger role for Pepper in my next story! Check! So until next time, thanks for stopping by! Oh, and tune in next time as crazy stuff keeps a happenin'! insane giggle  
  
Pepper: I gotta wonder...is it the characters in the story that're insane...or is it the author?  
  
I heard that!! One scene of yours is now cut!  
  
Pepper: Damn! 


	7. Broken And Bleeding

A story about life, love, courage, and testing ultimate friendship. What happens to Beetlejuice and his friends when one of their own falls into despair and changes completely? Nothing will ever be the same. This story is an **Alternate Universe** set five years after _Dark Shadows_ in the year 2008, and does **not** follow the intended story line. I repeat, this story does **NOT** follow the intended story line of the two stories (_A New Beginning_ & _Dark Shadows_) included in my _Beetlejuice Afterlife_ series, which is why it is simply titled "Mania" and not "Beetlejuice Afterlife – Mania". If I have someone ask me why I would put this as a sequel, I'll ignore them, because, right here it says: **THIS STORY IS NOT A SEQUEL**. This story was just bursting to be written, but I have no intention to make it part of my previous series. It just happens to use that series' events as a prelude. I hope there is no confusion.

* * *

Thank you for reviews Wanda and Maya Beebop! My two...and only...loyal readers! hugs you guys and anyone new that happens to show up Much kisses for you! MWAH MWAH!   
  
Things begin to build in this chapter...to a breaking point... Please read on.

* * *

Mania  
Spencers13 – March 2003–March 2004  
R – Drama – Angst 

  
  
Chapter Seven – Broken And Bleeding  
  
It was almost a month later, and still, not much had changed in Endri's behavior. Occasionally, he _would_ slip into a fit of hysteria, though, claiming he saw things, heard things that weren't there. Often, he would break down into tears, and several times, he tried to run away, claiming he didn't want to be a burden to his old friend or anyone else. But Kyle or Beetlejuice would always catch him as they always had one eye on the ghost. They would convince Endri that staying would be best, and that they would take care of him no matter what.  
  
Endri's moods swung erratically, one moment placid and calm, the next angry as a hornet, shouting threats to himself and others. But always, he would immediately apologize, mostly to Kyle.  
  
Once, as an apology, and in one of his more sweet and gentle moods, he picked a bouquet of Neitherworld oddities and gave it to his best friend, a blush on his cheeks and a thank you on his lips. Kyle had just smiled and accepted the gift, letting his friend's odd behavior slip through the cracks once more.  
  
It was so different seeing Endri like that—sweet and almost innocent with a huge smile on his face and eyes closed happily—compared to his once normally stoic and hard attitude. It was refreshing to see such openness, so the behavior was encouraged by everyone.  
  
The grass matted down beneath the weight of two pairs of feet as their owners walked along silently, taking in their surroundings with absent gazes. The spring weather was warm, but the breeze cooled their pale cheeks and ruffled their blonde hair into motion. Sweet fragrances drifted through the cooling breeze: wildflowers, exotic blooms from other places, and the earthy scent of bark and pine.  
  
That recreational park was more than just for recreation, it seemed. It was a haven for countless varieties of plant life and trees—not to mention a haven for weary souls in need to get back in touch with nature.  
  
Two such folk were now walking side by side, their hands in their pockets and eyes on what was in front of them. Neither spoke a word to the other, choosing instead to let the sounds of their surroundings fill in the gaps and break the silence. The emptiness between them was companionable, however, and easy to tolerate for the time being.  
  
Beetlejuice looked off to his right, seeing a few kids kicking a soccer ball around in the field not far away. The urge to pull a prank on those screaming brats made him almost drool with the prospect of hearing them scream in fear and not excitement. Because he paid more attention to what his mind was cooking up for his unsuspecting prey, he tripped over an exposed root in his path and plunged for the earth face first.  
  
Stopping beside his prone body, his son let out a chuckle at his misfortune. "You should watch where you're going, Papa. Or did that root jump out at you while you weren't looking?"  
  
"Har–har," the ghoul grumbled, picking himself up off the grass and brushing at the green and brown stains now adorning his striped jacket and pants. He stopped after a moment, though, thinking the color suited him nicely.  
  
They trudged onward with no more words between them until they reached the inside of a tree line. Tall timbers stood to either side of them and a rough, winding path was scraped out for them to follow. No one else seemed to be interested in that neck of the woods as there was no one on the path, so the ghost and ghoul silently decided to continue on, wondering where they would end up.  
  
"I want to thank you for bringing me here, Papa," Endri spoke up finally, attempting to start a dialog between them. "It was getting stuffy in the Roadhouse."  
  
"Yeah, well, I thought you could use some time away. I'm sure everybody was gettin' on your nerves."  
  
"A little," the ghost admitted shyly, lifting one hand from his jacket pocket to run through his long hair in the back. "Not that I don't appreciate everyone's efforts, but"  
  
"They were buggin' ya," Beetlejuice finished for his son.  
  
Endri smiled and looked down to the ground as it passed under his feet. "You have such a way with words. I wish I was as laid back as you are."  
  
The ghoul chuckled quietly, something he didn't do all that often. Normally, he was quite the loud one, but around his son, he seemed to "grow up" and try to be an actual father to him instead of treating him like everyone else he knew. "No, kid. I'm the product of a fucked up Neitherworld. I'm kinda glad you're so smart and have such good manners and discipline. I'da never raised you that well on my own," he said, his voice reaching a slight level of sadness.  
  
"Don't be ridiculous, Papa. I'm sure you would've done just fine."  
  
Again, Beetlejuice chuckled, shaking his head lightly and concentrating on the path before his feet. "Nah. I woulda screwed you up somehow."  
  
Endri dropped his gaze to the grass and weeds growing along the edge of the path, his eyes conveying much sadness behind his black shades. "One way or the other, I would have been screwed up anyway."  
  
Catching the tone, his father swung an arm up and wrapped it around the ghost's shoulders. "Now, don't be gettin' all depressed about it. We're out here to have a nice time, 'kay? Let's just forget about everything and relax."  
  
"_Heh_you're right. Sorry, Papa," Endri said, laughing with a bit of nerves when he began.  
  
They continued to stroll along, each basically minding their own business. A strong breeze tossed their long hair and made the canopy above sway in time, almost dancing to a slow song. Endri swore he heard the beat of that song driving through his mind, bringing a smile to his lips. It was soft and comforting, like the breeze that danced with the canopy and his hair.  
  
"Hey, kid," Beetlejuice spoke up, drowning out the song, "I was just wonderin' somethin'."  
  
"What's that?"  
  
"Uh" he hesitated, unsure if he should really ask what he had in mind. He didn't want to upset his son now that they were having such a nice time. "Is there anything you wannatell me?"  
  
"Tell you what?" Endri asked, looking off to the side at a squirrel that caught his attention. He and the ghoul continued walking, however, never ceasing in their slow trek to an unknown destination.  
  
"You knowabout stuff."  
  
"Stuff?"  
  
"Old stuff."  
  
"Papa, I have no clue what you're trying to get at."  
  
Beetlejuice sighed. Being subtle wasn't working, so he decided to just take the direct approach and hope for the best. "Your past, kid. I wanna know about your past."  
  
"What do you want to know about it?" Endri asked, stooping for a quick second to scoop up an auburn and black stiped wooly worm from a rotting log along the path. He smirked when it curled into a fuzzy ball in his hand and gently prodded it with his finger, feeling the soft yet stiff hairs.  
  
His father stifled his surprise at the ease he displayed at the usually upsetting subject. Maybe he was getting better?  
  
"Uhanything, really. Anything you wanna say."  
  
"There's a lot to say," the ghost answered, trying to walk as evenly as he could so his little passenger would uncurl from its tiny ball and crawl along his hand.   
  
"Well" Beetlejuice paused, trying to think of something his son could tell him. "Thentell me about" He drifted off, a thoughtful look on his visage. His yellowed eyes and green irises drifted skyward, watching the clouds pass slowly and the birds dart among the treetops. How long had it been since he was in that sort of setting? Since he was alive, really. And that was so, so long ago, he barely even remembered what it was like—to live a rough life, hunting for food, battling disputes out with swords and knives, but living so high and free. But the thing he prized most above all other memories was the memory ofher.  
  
"Do you remember your mother?" Beetlejuice asked quietly, lowering his eyes back to the path before him. Normally, he was never so quiet, but when the subject drifted to her, his demeanor would calm, and an almost depressed air would hang around him until he forcibly picked himself back up and put on a grinning face.  
  
"I remember when she gave us her energy," Endri said, still waiting for the wooly worm to uncurl.  
  
"No, I mean before that. Back when we were allalive."  
  
The ghost quieted for a few moments, staring at his hand where the fuzzy insect rested. At length, he answered, "I was too young to remember her."  
  
"_Too young_" the ghoul echoed quietly, distantly.  
  
"The only time I remember seeing Mama was when she appeared to us a few years ago. She was beautiful too. Didn't she have red hair?"  
  
Beetlejuice blinked out of his daze and took a deep breath, nodding. "Yeah, yeah. Sunset red hair. And blue eyes." He shook his head, eyes staring ahead, but not focused on a single thing they beheld. "I can't believe you practically don't know her."  
  
Endri finally looked away from his passenger and to his father. "I'm sorry, Papa. I wish I knew her, then, for your sake."  
  
The ghoul looked over quickly at the barely emotional tone. "You don't care? She was your _mother_."  
  
"I know," the ghost nodded, "and I feel a sort of love for her because of that. But I don't _know_ her, soit's hard for me to feel anything deeper than what I do."  
  
Beetlejuice shook his head in disbelief. "I can't believe you're so apathetic about it."  
  
Endri shrugged and looked away, back to the wooly worm just then beginning to uncurl. "What do you want me to do? I never knew her. Now, I never will be able to, since she's gone forever. I'm not going to cry over it, you know. I've never cried for her. When I cried about it, I cried because I thought we had both been wronged by you. And when I sought revenge for my death, it was on _principal_ that her honor was included to be justified along with mine. Other than thatI had no other emotional attachments to her. Sorry."  
  
Beetlejuice fought to keep the bile from rising in his throat. So that's what Endri thought of his mother—that's what his son thought of his wife. To know that Endri never had a _real_ mother, never had the love she would have given him, never even knew what she _looked_ like except for a brief glance a few years ago—it all stung worse than 10,000 Neitherworld horn–nets. Plus, that probably would have been another thing to add to the list of things that drove Endri insane.  
  
"_I–I wish things could've been different,_" he whispered, not caring if his son heard—which he didn't. The ghost was too busy playing with his wooly worm to hear the crushed words of his father. But before the tears could well up in his eyes, the ghoul asked another question, trying also to deviate from the utterly depressing topic. "Soyou lived in Japan for a while?"  
  
"Oh, yes!" Endri piped up, suddenly excited about the subject. "It's so beautiful there, Papa. The people are wonderful, and their culture is so fascinating. Even the language is beautiful. That's why I know it more fluently than most of the other languages I know."  
  
"What languages _do_ you know?" Beetlejuice asked, his curiosity piqued.  
  
The ghost smirked and looked straight ahead as he spoke. "I know Spanish, French, German, Chinese, Dutch, Swedish, Norse—which is our original language of course—several other minor languages, and I understand when Doomie speaks to me, so I consider that another language as well."  
  
Beetlejuice fought to keep his eyes in his sockets. He had no idea his son was so educated! He justnever thought about it. "NNot bad, kid. Not bad," he managed out before grinning like a madman. "That's my boy!" he shouted, clapping Endri on the back roughly. "'Least you turned out better than me, that's all I was worried about."  
  
The ghost chuckled, closing his eyes contentedly. "Papa, you're so funny."  
  
"You know it, kid."  
  
Grinning, the ghoul sent a wink to his son before stumbling over an upraised rock jutting from the path they still walked along. He caught his balance that time, and cackled at his own awkwardness, throwing a hand behind his head and leaning back to let his mirth ring out through the forest.  
  
When their laughing had died down to a mere occasional chuckle, Beetlejuice decided to try to get his son to talk more about his past again. For some reason, he wasn't being upset by it, so the ghoul figured now was the time to ask questions he always had to keep from voicing before.  
  
"Say, kid. What would you say was the best thing that ever happened to you?"  
  
Humming in thought, Endri twisted his hand this way and that, letting the wooly worm crawl its tickling trail from one side to the other. "I would have to say meeting Kyle."  
  
"Oh, yeah?" the ghoul wondered with an upraised eyebrow.  
  
"Yes. Without him, I never would have what I do now. And what I have now is far greater than anything I've ever had," Endri said calmly.  
  
"Which would be?" his father coaxed.  
  
"Oh, you, a permanent home, friends who care about me, and most of all him."  
  
Beetlejuice cleared his throat awkwardly before asking, "Soyou twoya know?"  
  
"Know what?"  
  
"You _know_. To–Togetherlike that"  
  
The ghost quirked a blonde eyebrow, taking on a contemplative look. "A lot of people keep asking me that. I don't know why."  
  
Smirking, the ghoul cast his eyes off to the side. "Prob'ly 'cause you guys are stuck together like glue." A shocked look came over his face, and he discreetly hid one hand behind his back. His fingers were stuck together by something incredibly sticky, and it took him a moment to get rid of it. It had been a long time since he did anything like that. He was losing his touch.  
  
"That's true," Endri admitted with a nod. "But he's more like my brother than my boyfriend." He stuck his lavender tongue out at the thought. "Yuck. I'd never want to see that side of Kyle. It would be far too strange."  
  
Beetlejuice tried to hold his laughter in, but a light chuckle escaped his defenses. With his son in an occasional child–like mental state, his responses were following in accordance, and it was so funny to hear such things coming from him.  
  
"Yer cute, kid," he teased, ruffling his son's hair playfully.  
  
The young ghost just chuckled and took it in stride.  
  
In the same instance, they spotted a woman taking snapshots of the environment up ahead. She was a vision with red hair and a white tank top with short khaki shorts. Her full body swayed this way and that looking for the best possible angle of a birch tree, and Endri had to swallow the drool.  
  
Beetlejuice quirked his eye as he observed his son's reaction to the redhead, and also found great interest in _her_ reaction as she turned toward them and let her mouth gape open when she caught sight of the ghost. Smirking deviously, the ghoul elbowed his son in the ribs. "She's a hotty, eh?" he asked slyly with a wink.  
  
Endri nodded his head, not taking his eyes from her. "She's beautiful."  
  
"Why don't you go over and talk to her?" his father suggested.  
  
The ghost gulped. "T–Talk? To her?"  
  
"Yeah. I think she'd like that, don't you?" Beetlejuice asked, watching the woman smile demurely and half turn away, pretending to go back to what she was doing but sending quick glances off to the side in their direction. "I think she's hot for ya."  
  
Endri gulped again. "H–Hot for me?"  
  
"Oh, yeah. She's on fire, don'cha think?" the ghoul asked with enthusiasm, getting his son worked up to go over and talk to her.  
  
"Fire."  
  
Beetlejuice rolled his eyes. None too gently, he laid his hand flat to his son's back and shoved him forward, making him stumble toward the giggling girl.  
  
A computer monitor provided the only lighting for a medium–sized bedroom at the top of the stairs in BJ's Roadhouse. Kyle sat before the device typing into whatever program he had open at the moment. His fingers flew over the keyboard like he was writing a symphony, but that work of genius was actually a new operating system that had been kicking around his skull for weeks now. With Endri gone to the Real World with Beetlejuice, he finally had some free time to get started on it.  
  
Upon looking over at the clock on the corner of his desk, Kyle noted the time was much later than he expected. It was past seven o'clock, and Beetlejuice and Endri should have been back from the park by then. Curious as to whether they came home and he just never heard, the human got up from his chair and saved his project before opening his bedroom door and heading downstairs.  
  
Just as Kyle put one foot on the first floor, the front door opened and Beetlejuice meandered in, checking the cracks along the wall and doors for dinner.  
  
"Hey, Beetle," the human called, lifting one hand in greeting. He paused then, not seeing his best friend following the ghoul in. "Where's Endri?"  
  
Grinning like a Cheshire cat, Beetlejuice did his best to shrug nonchalantly. "Well" He chuckled throatily. "He's probably scorin' big right now with some cutie he went home with," he said smugly.  
  
"He's _what?!_" the human shrieked, his eyes flying wide open and body tensing.  
  
"Eeyup. Some redhead kept eyein' him at the park, so I told 'im to go talk to her. Sparks musta flew 'cause they ended up walkin' together, then went to her place," Beetlejuice related, buffing his red nails on the lapels of his striped jacket. "My boy's a real lady–killer eh?"  
  
"Are you insane?!" Kyle shouted, fisting his hands at his sides. "Endri's a loose canon with a short fuse! And you _told_ him to go off with some girl?! What if she upsets him?! Who knows what he could do!"  
  
The ghoul waved him off, rolling his eyes. "Oh, come on. He'll be fine. He was fine all day."  
  
"Just 'cause he's fine all day doesn't mean he will be in the next minute, Beetle. Or have you forgotten how easily he can switch moods?" the human grumbled, frowning and crossing his arms.  
  
How could Beetlejuice have been so careless? Didn't he realize how many times women had hurt Endri in the past? Every time he tried to have a relationship with one—that's how many times. _All_ of them had hurt him just because they feared him for being a ghost. The only woman he ever succeeded in being with was Claire, and even _she_ had managed to hurt him eventually. And now, Endri was off with another one? Certainly, that wouldn't end well.  
  
"He'll be _fine_." Beetlejuice growled with a scowl. "He needs to be on his own some, ya know. He's been cooped up in here for at least a month; he needs some fresh air."  
  
"Yeah, I agree that he could use some time out. But sending him off on his own with a strange woman is a little too much for his first time away from the Roadhouse since he came down with this Mania shit! If he's thrown out there on his own all the sudden, it could shock him and send him back to where he was months ago! He needs to go slowly, one step at a time—"  
  
"He's a big boy, he can take care of himself if he wants to! Plus, he _needed_ to get out, Kyle! See someone new! Everybody's been breathin' down his neck since he got sick; he told me so himself. Especially you," the ghoul said, pointing a red–tipped finger at the human.  
  
"Me?" Kyle asked in fake shock, pointing to himself. "Me?! I'm the only one around here who's taking care of him the way he needs! Of _course_ I'm always around him! And who wanted me to do it in the first place? You! 'Pleasetake care of him.' I think those were your exact words. And believe me, they _were_. I have a memory like no other, Beetle."  
  
Beetlejuice only frowned, crossing his arms and averting his eyes from Kyle's icy stare.  
  
"And just like you asked, I've been taking care of him night and day. And what have you done for him besides a few meager words of encouragement once in a while?"  
  
The ghoul glared back over with a quick snap of his head. "I took him out today!" he said in defense.  
  
"_One_ trip in over a month!" Kyle shouted, swinging his arm out to indicate a long stretch of time. "And you're his _father!_ Hell, _I'm_ being more of a father to him, and I'm his best friend!"  
  
"Don't you dare stand there and tell me I'm not a good father," Beetlejuice hissed, his eyes simmering and skin flushing with anger.  
  
Kyle closed his eyes for a moment and raised a staving hand. "I never said that. I just want you to think before letting him run off again. He's not ready to be out on his own yet. He needs more help first. I may be his caretaker, but _you_ need to be his father. There's times when he needs you more than he does me."  
  
Scoffing, the ghoul crossed his arms once more and faced off to the side. "I'm always here for when he needs me."  
  
"Yeah, but most of the time, he doesn't _know_ he needs you. He comes cryin' to me first all the time 'cause he doesn't understand that he has a father he can go to now. He's still livin' in the past where it was just me and him, and he had no father—no one else to go to but me. You gotta be there for him now, Beetle. You started this all off with good intentions. You were there for a while when he was sick and sleeping for all that time, but after he woke up, you kinda backed off from him. You knew he needed you then, and you know he needs you now, so lay down any macho bullshit you got going and _help_ him. The Neitherworld knows _I've_ laid a lot of shit down for his sake, so why won't you? I am _always_ there for him, but there's gonna be a time when I _can't_ be, and _you're_ gonna need to help him, then."  
  
Kyle took a deep breath to steady himself. It wasn't every day he argued with one of the most powerful beings in the Neitherworld. Trying to keep his anger in check and not insult the ghoul too much so he wouldn't get pummeled was a challenge.  
  
Beetlejuice continued as he had been: staring off to the side with arms crossed and a frown on his visage. To all appearances, it seemed he had ignored Kyle's whole speech, but that was far from the truth. He had heard every word, and it registered all too well.  
  
"So" he began, not quite sure where to go from that single word. "What"  
  
The human smirked, knowing Beetlejuice had no idea what to do in order to help his son. It seemed both he and Endri were in the same boat. One didn't know he had a father to go to, and the other didn't know how to be a father for his son to come to. There was just too much of a gap in their afterlives that made adjusting to one another difficult or maybe evenimpossible. It was a shame, really.  
  
"Tell you what. Next time you're in the same room when Endri runs to me for something, why don't you just kindabutt in and help with whatever's wrong? Don't let me get much of a word in. Take control of the situation," Kyle suggested with a light shrug.  
  
Beetlejuice immediately looked over, a light bulb flaring to life above his blonde head. "I got the perfect idea! Next time Endri runs to you for somethin', I'll just butt in and take charge!"  
  
Kyle rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. "Brilliant."  
  
A few hours later, Beetlejuice and Kyle sat on the rickety, wooden couch watching NTV, waiting for Endri to return. Kyle wasn't exactly paying much attention to what was on the screen, but rather concentrated on his own thoughts. Beetlejuice, however, cackled insanely when one of the skeleton clowns threw a coconut–mint–cream–banana–splat pie in another skeleton's face, knocking his skull off. The human just rolled his eyes and tightened his crossed arms, trying to ignore the stupidity. He wasn't in the mood tonight.  
  
Five minutes later, and at precisely nine–thirty, Endri Juice stepped through the front door and casually made his way across the living room floor, heading for his upstairs bedroom. Kyle was upon him in an instant, looking him over and asking a flurry of questions.  
  
"Are you all right? Where were you? What happened? Do you feel okay?"  
  
The ghost just smiled at him and tried to continue on his way.  
  
"What happened with the chick, kid? I thought you'd be hangin' out at her place all night," Beetlejuice called from the couch. He hadn't moved an inch when his son finally entered. He still held true to his belief that Endri was a big boy and could take care of himself, especially when it involved a simple girl. He didn't know of his son's past troubles with relationships, or he would have been quick to worry too.  
  
"Who?" the ghost asked, stopping and frowning. "Oh, yes. Amber. She threw me out," he stated nonchalantly with a shrug.  
  
Beetlejuice pursed his lips and shook his head. "Ah, sorry, kid. It happens sometimes."  
  
"YesI know," Endri said, turning and heading for the staircase once more.  
  
Kyle was right in front of him, putting up a hand to halt his steps. "Shethrew you out? Why?"  
  
"Oh, because she was scared."  
  
The human swallowed nervously. He _knew_ something like that would happen! But what confused him was why Endri didn't seem to be bothered at all by the entire situation.  
  
"See, we started to play around some," the ghost admitted shyly, a light blush staining the color of his cheeks and nose, "but I felt bad because it felt like I was lying to her. She thought I was just a human. So I told her I was a ghost."  
  
Kyle's head bobbed along with the ghost's explanation, but when he stopped, the human was left without completion. "And?"  
  
"Oh, right." Endri snapped back to attention, forgetting in that split moment what he had been saying. "Well, she didn't believe me at first, so I decided to show her I was telling the truth. When she couldn't feel my heartbeat, she got scared and told me to get out. She was very rude about it too," he finished with a frown. Red–tipped fingers came down upon his shoulder and patted a bit roughly.  
  
"Don't sweat it, kid. There's more where she came from."  
  
Endri nodded, a smile on his lips. "Yesplenty more."  
  
He bid his father and friend goodnight, then sidestepped them both and finally finished his trek upstairs. He closed his bedroom door behind him with a sigh, then sat on the edge of the bed and proceeded to remove his grey boots. When they were satisfactorily seated at the end of the bed, he stood and made his way over the short distance to the solitary window in the room and stared out through the slightly dingy glass.  
  
Outside blazed the last half of a beautiful sunset, characteristic of the Neitherworld. The brilliant, fiery reds seemed to burn in the atmosphere and provided a reddish tint to everything their light touched, even the windowsill beside Endri's face. The colors were breathtaking, and the bright red reminded him of Amber's hair—the woman he met in the park.  
  
An unexpected sob rose in the ghost's throat, and he grit his teeth against it. No, he was not weak. He would not fall victim to his emotions again. But wasn't that how he ended up in the situation he was in in the first place? Because he suppressed his emotions, he now had to live in chaos. Perhaps he should let them free for once. It wasn't like he never did so before.  
  
Jumbled thoughtsjumbled, raging emotions swirled in his gut. A voice pierced his mind, making him quake with the hatred and fear it induced.  
  
_Freak!  
  
_Get the hell away from me!  
  
Go back where you belong!  
  
A new sob broke from his throat. What had he done to make her so livid? He was just being honest. Wasn't that supposed to be looked upon as honorable?  
  
More soft cries left his lips, and he closed his eyes against the pain. No, not that again. He had gone through it all so many times, he thought he would be desensitized from the whole experience. But every time he was pushed away, chased away by the terrified screams of Humans, it was like a brand new wound cutting deep and scarring raggedly.  
  
It just—wasn't—fair!  
  
With what was left of his barriers broken, Endri leaned his forehead to the warm glass and simply cried. He knew he had been doing that a lot lately, but who really cared anymore. He was insane, so why not go with the flow? Times changed. Things changed. People changed.  
  
Endri had changed.  
  
The rage he felt for himself exploded, but the only outward sign was one more tear to join the rest. He felt so pathetic. He was so useless now. A burden to others, that was what he was. He used to be someone; he used to have power and grace, but now he was a clumsy fool with only half a brain, and that brain was severely damaged. He didn't know how he could stand being himself, let alone comprehend that others still tried to stick by him. He just wasn't worth anyone's time.  
  
Broken, useless, and beyond repair, Endri Juice parted his lips and let the loud sobs issue forth.  
  
A light click came from the door, but he was too preoccupied in his self pity that he didn't hear. Only when a gentle hand came down upon his shoulder did he realize someone had joined him, and he jumped, startled.  
  
"_Endri_" Kyle's voice whispered sadly, having a slight understanding for the ghost's tears, and he was probably the only one who _did_ understand. He stood at his side, watching more of those tears glide down his friend's cheeks and fall, only releasing the pain they held when they splashed to the floor. He had a feeling there was more to what the ghost was feeling. That was why he followed him to his room and heard his cries.  
  
"Why? Why? Why?! _Why!!_" Endri cried, balling his hands to fists and quaking all over. "Make it stop! Make it all go away, Kyle! Please!"  
  
The human had no idea what to do, so he simply wrapped his arms around his friend and held on for dear life. If anything, he would be a rock to hold onto. He wished he could do more.  
  
Endri's entire body shuddered and quaked in his arms, and it was all Kyle could do to keep him aloft. Tears of pain, anguish, sorrow, and despair rained from the ghost's eyes as if someone had turned on a faucet and walked away. And every cry, every wrenching sob of agony broke Kyle's heart all the more. It was almost too much to bear just _listening_ to him, let alone feeling his knees shaking so badly that they almost gave way several times, or seeing those crystal tears pouring endlessly.  
  
_Pleas stop, Endri. You're gonna make **me** cry._  
  
Very slowly, the ghost did begin to calm, his hitching breaths evening out, and his trembling subsiding bit by bit. He sniffled thickly, and Kyle released him just long enough to search out some tissues. After a good nose blow, he calmed that much more so, concentrating on his breaths to at least stop hyperventilating.   
  
The human stood very close by, always keeping at least one hand in contact, offering silent support. Endri showed his appreciation with a weary smile and turned back to the window, trying to avoid eye contact. After that pathetic display, he figured Kyle held not even an inkling of respect for him anymore.  
  
Sighing, the human resigned to remain silent but present, offering what support he could just by being there. It seemed to have worked in calming his friend down, so why stop there?  
  
In a whirl of motion, Kyle's hand was thrown from Endri's shoulder, but a pair of pale ones gripped down to his own shoulders tightly. He had no idea what just happened until he blinked and realized the ghost was now facing him and looking very, very serious.  
  
"Kyle, listen to me. I have to tell you this right now."  
  
"'Dri, what—?"  
  
"Listen to me!" he shouted, giving his friend a light shake. "Right now, I'm thinking clearer than I have been in months, and if I don't tell you this right now, I might never get the chance to again."  
  
Surprised, Kyle listened for whatever Endri had to say. The look in his eyes told him the ghost really knew what he was doing for once. His eyes seemed clearer than usual, the rings of red around the iris and pupils reduced to almost nothing. In an instant, Kyle realized Endri had somehow taken control and come back to his senses!  
  
The ghost spoke to him, then, his voice slow and precise, making sure Kyle received and understood the intensity of all the emotions he was experiencing.  
  
"I care about you more than anyone or anything else in existence. You are my partner and my friend. You are _everything_ to me, Kyle. _You_, and _only_ you. You've been there when no one else was, you've cared about me when no one else would, you've stuck by me longer than anyone else ever has. I've never known a single person for sixteen years in a row like I have you. You mean so much to me, Kyle, that even _I_ don't think I'll ever know. I _love_ you." He held Kyle's shoulders tighter, giving him another light shake to help instill the meaning of his words. "I love you so damn much it hurts. I've never cared about _anyone_ as much as I do you. Not even _Claire_ meant as much as you do. I'm getting along fine without her, but I could _never_ survive without you."  
  
Endri growled to himself, becoming frustrated with trying to relay his feelings so the human would understand.  
  
"Don't you see? All this time I've been insane—the only thing keeping me from losing it _completely_ is you! You're holding me together just by being here for me. Without youKyle, without you, I'd fall to pieces," he said, staring into Kyle's face intensely.  
  
Sighing, he hung his head. "I should have told you sooner. You probably think this is another mad rave of mine, but it's the truth. I mean every single word coming out of my mouth, Kyle, and I know _exactly_ what I'm saying. You're my best friend and I love you, and I'm not afraid to admit it like I was before. I have to make sure you know what you mean to me before it's too late, before I forget I ever meant to tell you. Everything you've ever done for me means so much; you don't know," he finished with a shake of his head.  
  
Blinking for a moment, Kyle tilted his head a bit to the side. "II really mean _that_ much?"  
  
Endri nodded. "Yes, absolutely."  
  
The human exhaled nervously a few times, trying to round up his scattering thoughts. He had never heard or even expected to hear such words uttered by his friend's lips. "I–I don't know what to say," he managed out, half laughing in exasperation.  
  
Sparkling emerald irises gazed intently into cerulean pools. "Say you're my best friendand always will be."  
  
Kyle smiled. "Endri, you are my best friend, and you always will be _no matter what._"  
  
Flooded with relief, Endri hugged his old partner tightly, a steadfast grin on his lips, exposing white teeth. "_Thank you so muchfor everything._"  
  
"_You're welcome,_" the human whispered, hugging back.  
  
They released each other and turned to the window at the same time, content to watch another sunset together. Endri's arm draped over Kyle's shoulders, and the human's arm wrapped around the ghost's back, always touching, always offering comfort from the warm contact.  
  
"_Ne_. Kyle."  
  
"Mm?"  
  
"We watch a lot of sunsets together, don't we."  
  
"Yeah, I guess we do."  
  
"Would you say that sunsets are our 'thing'?"  
  
"Our thing?" Kyle asked, looking over.  
  
"_Aa_. You know how people share something between them, and whatever that is is called their 'thing' to do? Well, would watching sunsets be _our_ thing?"  
  
The human chuckled. "I guess it would be, then. Why don't we set up some lawn chairs on the roof and watch 'em every night?"  
  
Smiling, Endri continued to stare outside. "I'd love that."  
  
Kyle persisted in staring at the ghost's eyes. He noticed they had gone back to the way they were before, the rings of red more pronounced and a sort of "glazed" look shimmered off the yellowed sclera. Endri was no longer thinking or speaking sanely like only moments ago. A wave of sadness flooded his being. The ghost probably didn't even remember telling him all those heartfelt things. Grief took Kyle over, and he wrapped his other arm around his friend and hugged him again tightly. Endri was taken by surprise at first, but soon was hugging back happily.  
  
"'DriI'm so sorry."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"I didn't tell you when I had the chance. If I tell you now, it won't mean as much to you."  
  
"Tell me what?"  
  
Leaning back, the human sighed with a light smile. "Consider yourself lucky. You're the only guy I'd ever say this to." His hands gripped tighter to where he held his friend, and he sniffed once to push back the tears. "I—uhlove ya, Endri. A lot, and I—uhjust wanted you to know that."  
  
Endri smiled broadly. "Oh, that's so sweet. Well, I love you too, Kyle. You're my bestest best friend! Did I ever tell you that?"  
  
Kyle forced his face to not crumble. "Y–Yeahyou did."  
  
"Oh, good, because you are." The ghost paused, then smiled again. "_Ne_. I'm hungry. Want to go get something with me?" he asked, pointing to the door.  
  
The human shrugged one shoulder and released his friend. "Nah, not really. You go ahead. I'll–uhI'll stay here."  
  
"You sure?"  
  
"Yeah, yeah, I'm sure. Go on. Go eat," he softly ordered, shooing Endri off while nodding exaggeratedly.  
  
"I'll be back!" the ghost called over his shoulder, waving as he left the room.  
  
Kyle waved until his friend was gone, then turned dejectedly back to the window to watch the last little bit of the sunset alone.  
  
_I'm sorry, 'Driit just hurts right now. To see you suddenly turn around and know what's going on and tell me all those heartfelt things, and then forgetting a moment laterjust breaks my heart. Now I can't say the same in return without you thinking it's just some idle thing.  
  
Is it just me, or does totally random and insane shit happen to this family all the time? Maybe it's just the Neitherworld. Maybe it **is** me._ He sighed. _I can't give up, though. Endri needs me, and I gotta be there for him. And **when** I help him to come back and be sane, he'll thank me again just like he did a moment ago.  
  
People will come and go for him, but **I** will always be there, just like I promised, and just like he needs me to be._  
  
Endri sat in the Roadhouse living room with stacks of books lining the coffee table and beside the couch on one side. The ghost wore a small pair of reading glasses, his nose stuck in a book, reading the words with untamable interest.  
  
On a short visit, Faygo strode into the room from the kitchen, sat down, and stared at Endri with a mirthful smirk on her lips. Giggling, she shook her head when her presence went unnoticed.  
  
"Hey, Uncle 'Dri."  
  
The ghost didn't seem to hear, still staring at the words on the page.  
  
"Uncle Endri."  
  
On, he read.  
  
"Eennndriii."  
  
Still, he continued to read.  
  
"Endriethi Juice, the house is on fire!!"  
  
Blinking, the ghost looked over slowly, almost tearing his eyes from the last sentence. "Huh?"  
  
Faygo laughed. "Man, you're really lost in that book, Uncle 'Dri. Daddy told me you've been reading solid for days! What's with that?" She thumbed through a few books in one stack resting on the coffee table, reading their titles.  
  
"Ah, sorry, Faygo," Endri said sheepishly, rubbing at the back of his head before reaching up to lift the wire–frame glasses off. "Papa told me that if I read, I could occupy my mind and not think so much about being around forforever." He swallowed and looked down to the book in his lap. "So, I went to the Lie–brary and brought home a few books."  
  
The young ghost giggled again. "A few? Looks like you brought home half of their inventory. How many have you read so far?"  
  
Endri pointed to a medium–sized stack of about five volumes near his feet. "I've read all of those. Some are more interesting than others."  
  
"Mm." Faygo leaned back into the couch and looked her honorary uncle over. "How've you been feeling?"  
  
The ghost sighed. "All right, I suppose. I've been buried in these books, so I haven't had much time to think or feel anything other than what the stories want me to. It'sa nice escape."  
  
"Well, it's good that you're being occupied, Uncle 'Dri, but it's not that good to get completely lost in those books. Maybe you should take a break from 'em for a while."  
  
Endri swallowed. "And do what?"  
  
Faygo shrugged, leaning forward to move some books off the table to the floor, clearing a space to see the television. "Why don't you watch some TV with me? It's a nice escape too, but at least this way, you can have some company along for the ride. You've been stuck in those books for days now, and I haven't seen you for a while. Ikinda miss your company, Uncle 'Dri."  
  
Smiling, the ghost book–marked his page and put the tome down. "Then I'll gladly watch television with you."  
  
With a grin, Faygo reached over and flipped the television on to a good channel. On it played a documentary about Humans. An NTV camera, along with several select ghosts and ghouls had been sent to the Real World to study the "fascinating creatures". Faygo giggled as the events unfolded, while Endri just chose to watch in silence.  
  
Halfway through the show, Faygo laughed louder than before at something _else_ ghosts got wrong about Humans. It drew Endri's attention to her, and he stared at the daughter of his best friend. Something about her reminded him of those Humans they showed on the TV. Moments later, the young ghost noticed and gave her elder a warm smile, patted his knee, and turned back to the TV. Sadly, Endri lowered his eyes to his lap, no longer interested in the show. The quick withdrawal of her hand from his knee seemed like some kind of rejection, like she didn't want to be bothered with him, and it hurt.  
  
When Faygo looked back over, she swallowed, noticing the ghost's sadness. She hesitated for a moment, but a moment was long enough. Scooting over, the young ghost sat touching her honorary uncle—hips to hips, shoulder to shoulder, and leg to leg. Endri looked up, surprised, as Faygo swung her arm around his shoulders, patted his upper arm, and hugged sweetly. She returned her attention to the television once more, keeping her slim arm over Endri's broad shoulders. Smiling, the ghost again paid attention to the TV as well.  
  
That show ended and another began, so the two friends continued watching. Endri worked his arm behind Faygo's back, hooking his hand around her slight waist there. Their eyes met, and the ghost smiled timidly. She blinked at him for a moment before smiling sweetly and turning back to the show. She had been warned Endri may act oddly, and was instructed to let it go as long as it wasn't anything major. An arm around her back wasn't exactly major.  
  
A little into that program, Endri's eyes drifted back to Faygo, and that time, he could not look away. He swallowed heavily, taking in her pale beauty and drinking it down. Now he knew why she reminded him of the Humans on television; she _looked_ human. And in his mind, Human equaled good feelings—pleasure. He remembered the times he spent with Claire, how thrilling it was, how addicting her warm body was beneath his. Oh, to feel something like that again.  
  
Faygo began looking more and more human as the seconds progressed.  
  
Endri's Mania–driven mind forgot she was so young; forgot she was Kyle's daughter; forgot she was a ghost, not a human. His mouth watered with the prospect of tasting her soft lips, and his fingers twitched with the desire to run all over her pale skin.  
  
Faygo looked over with a quick glance, then looked back, keeping her eyes trained to Endri that time. They stared into each other's eyes for a long while, the television forgotten. Slowlyvery slowlyEndri leaned forward.  
  
_Oh, shitoh, shit. I don't believe this!_ Faygo swallowed. _Uncle 'Drioh, shit! What should I do? What should I say? Where's Dad when I need him!_  
  
Not knowing what to do, Faygo held still as Endri leaned in and kissed her lips. His were soft and sweet on hers, but it didn't feel right—not at all. Slowly, she began to retreat, tilting back away from him, but the ghost only leaned forward, keeping them locked together. That move backfired when she fell to her back on the couch and Endri landed on top. He pressed against her lips tighter, forcing them apart to allow his tongue passage and explored her mouth as if he had done it to her countless times before.  
  
"_Mm! Mm!_" she shouted against his lips, lightly smacking his shoulders with her palms, trying to get his attention. Where was her father when she _really_ needed him! He was Endri's caretaker, so why wasn't he doing his job?!  
  
The older ghost pulled away, trailing his lips down a slender throat to a collarbone.  
  
"Uncle 'Dri, stop!" she yelled as soon as her lips were released, trying feebly to push her assailant away.  
  
Endri only moaned and snaked his tongue out to taste her soft skin. "_Claire_" he hissed, shifting his legs to slip between Faygo's.  
  
She gasped, both at her honorary uncle's actions and the name that slipped from his throat in passion. He thought she was someone else? Well, that certainly made her feel a little better, but not completely as he was still all over her and getting worse.  
  
Endri slipped the shoulder strap of the young ghost's black dress down and laved the exposed skin delicately. As his mouth was occupied by her shoulder, he reached down with a free hand and pushed the hem of her dress up, exposing her grey panties underneath.  
  
"No! Stop, Uncle 'Dri! I'm not Claire!"  
  
He chuckled and reached up to pull the hair–band from her ponytail out, letting her long, purple hair flow all over the seat of the couch and down over the edge. "You're always wearing your hair up, Claire. You should let it down more often. I like it that way," he cooed. His hand free again, he reached down and slid it along her thigh, squeezing the soft flesh enticingly.  
  
"Daddy! Uncle BJ! Help me, please! _Someone help!!_" Faygo cried at the top of her lungs as she squirmed for all she was worth beneath the blonde ghost.  
  
Footsteps pounded down the stairs a moment later, and Kyle rounded the corner of the living room to see something he never expected to.  
  
"Endri, what the _fuck_ do you think you're _doing?!_" he almost screamed, dashing over.  
  
"H–He thinks I'm Cl—!" the young ghost tried to explain before her lips were claimed again by a hungry mouth.  
  
Kyle wasted no time, grabbing Endri by the shoulders and pulling him off of his daughter with a quick tug. They both fell backward onto the coffee table, books crashing to the floor on impact.  
  
"Endri, knock it off!" the human yelled, throwing him to the floor and straddling his waist. He fisted the ghost's shirt into one hand and reared his other back, ready to punch him if need be.  
  
Endri blinked up at him, surprised to find himself on the floor with his best friend ready to hit him. "Kyle? Whawhat's wrong? I—"  
  
"What the fuck were you doing to my daughter?!" Kyle shouted, anger blowing all concern he could have had for his friend's mental condition out of the water.  
  
"Your—?" The ghost looked over, seeing Faygo in the process of sitting up on the couch. She sniffled as she pulled the strap of her dress back over her shoulder and pushed the hem back down over her thighs.  
  
His eyes widened, but the gravity of the situation never hit him. "Is she okay? What happened to her?"  
  
"What happened?!" Kyle yelled in shock. "You fuckin' tried to rape my daughter, you bastard! Whether you have the Mania or not, I'm not tolerating that shit from you!"  
  
Endri gasped and shook his head weakly. "N–No, I–I'd never do that to her! I swear! I was just having a daydream about Claire, and then you're pinning me to the floor! I never touched her, honestly! I was just day–d–dreaming," he stuttered, tears springing to his eyes suddenly.  
  
A slender hand came down upon Kyle's poised fist, and he looked back at the owner. His daughter knelt beside him and smiled reassuringly.  
  
"He's telling the truth, Dad. He kept calling me Claire. I tried to tell you before, but he kinda cut me off." She pressed on his fist, lowering it from its threatening position. "He didn't know what he was doing. You can't punish him for it."  
  
Slowly, Kyle eyed his pinned friend, watching the tears glisten in his eyes and the confused expression pull at his brows and lips. He really didn't seem to know what had happened.  
  
"You sure, Faygo?"  
  
"Yes. It's not his fault. He really didn't know what he was doing," she answered beside him.  
  
With a grunt, the human released Endri's shirt and stood up, reaching a hand down to help his friend up as well. The ghost took it hesitantly and allowed his body to be tugged up to stand. Kyle eyed him as he fidgeted with his shirt and jeans, not making eye contact with anyone. It seemed like he was almost afraid of his human friend now that he had thrown him down and threatened him.  
  
"'Dri."  
  
Endri looked up at his nickname, but still avoided all eye contact.  
  
"Next timewatch what you daydream about. Got it?" Kyle grumbled none too friendly.  
  
The ghost swallowed and nodded, hunching into himself and running shaking fingers over his neck and shoulder.  
  
Faygo stepped up to him after giving a goodbye hug and kiss to her father. "I have to go now, Uncle 'Dri. I hope you get better soon." He nodded, and she reached up to pat him tenderly on the arm. A large, pale hand clasped gently over hers, and she looked up into Endri's swirling eyes.  
  
"_Faygodid I really do that?_" he whispered to her, tears still glistening in those eyes.  
  
She parted her lips to speak but only nodded a few times in answer.  
  
The blonde exhaled loudly as one tear escaped down his cheek. "_I–I'm so sorry. I_"  
  
Faygo silenced him with a finger to his lips and a smile. She stepped closer and wrapped her arms around his once strong form and held tightly, listening to him whimper into her hair, still free from the ponytail. "It's okay, Uncle 'Dri. It's not your fault. You're just notfeeling well right now. I don't blame you at all," she told him truthfully. Another squeeze later, and she released him. "I gotta go. I'll try to come back soon. Daddy"  
  
"Yeah, honey?"  
  
"Take care of Uncle 'Dri for me."  
  
Kyle nodded after his daughter, catching the kiss she blew and waving goodbye. When she was out the door, he turned to see his friend sitting on the couch—sweat on his brow and hunched over, holding his head in one hand and wincing as if in pain.  
  
Kyle stepped over quickly and laid a hand to his shoulder as he bent over sideways, trying to see into his friend's face. "'Dri? You okay?"  
  
"I didn't meant–to do that." The ghost huffed, wrapping his arms around his middle and hunching over them, rocking just a bit.  
  
"I know you didn't. I'm sorry I threatened like that; I was justconcerned for my little girl."  
  
He shook his head. "It's my fault. I shouldn't have thought about Claire like that. I didn't realize I wasa–acting it out." Spotting the book he had been reading on the floor, Endri snatched it up and opened it, trying to get lost in the words again. Before he realized it, Kyle had reached down and taken it from him.  
  
"You can't hide in books forever, Endri."  
  
Desperately, the ghost reached out for it, his body beginning to tremble almost violently. "P–PleaseI need that! I–I can't hold on!"  
  
Determined, Kyle threw the book across the room, not blinking as it clopped against the far wall. "You _don't_ need it. You have to control the Mania _yourself!_"  
  
Endri gripped his head, his fair hair spilling out between his fingers. "_NOOO!!_" he screamed, shaking his head back and forth.  
  
Reaching over, Kyle grabbed the ghost's shirt and shook him. "Snap out of it, Endri! You're better than this!" _Dammit, what's going on?! Why is he flipping out like this? It happened so quick!_ He slammed Endri back against the couch, trying to get through to him. _He's not listening to me. Any longer, and he's gonna have a seizure! What should I do now?!  
  
_His eyes widening, Kyle realized what exactly he had to do, and he wasted no time.  
  
With abnormal strength, the human pinned Endri back against the couch. Tears streaked the ghost's cheeks, and his head thrashed about. Kyle held his hands to either side of Endri's head to hold it still, then shouted in a loud, commanding voice, "Atteeen–tion, soldier!"  
  
Immediately, the ghost ceased thrashing, standing up to full attention and knocking Kyle back against the arm of the couch. "Yes, sir!"  
  
Kyle stood slowly, straightening his shirt and twisting his neck to crack it after he had been tossed rather roughly. Stepping before his friend who stood at rigid attention, he acted out a part of the ghost's past with ease. He had been forced to do so once before, and knew what to do and say. Deliberately, he paced back and forth in front of his friend, arms clasped behind his back and a thoughtful expression on his countenance.  
  
"What is your name, soldier?"  
  
"Endri McNeill, sir!"  
  
"What is your rank?"  
  
"Lieutenant, sir!"  
  
"When was the last time you gave me some pushups, Lieutenant?"  
  
"Yesterday morning, sir!"  
  
"All right," Kyle smirked, "drop and give mefifty."  
  
"Yes, sir!" Without another word, Endri dropped to the floor and threw his body into the simple workout, counting out loud in a strong, almost shouting voice.  
  
Kyle stood before him and crossed his arms, the smirk still on his lips. _Works every time._  
  
"_Pssst!_"  
  
A hiss caught the human's attention, and he followed a waving hand into the kitchen. Beetlejuice was waiting for him, leaning through the doorway discreetly to watch his son count his pushups.  
  
"Hey. What the hell was all that?" the ghoul asked quietly, eyeing his son as he reached twenty–five already.  
  
"Oh, the military thing?" Kyle wondered, chuckling. "A couple weeks ago, he told me he once served in the Army." He nodded toward Endri, still counting his pushups. "Believe it or not, he's a World War I veteran. He said he wanted to 'join the battle' or something. He just wanted to fight in a war, so he made up some phony last name and other technical crap and enlisted." He took another look at his friend. "All he really told me was that it was intense, and it made hishow did he say itit made his 'blood sing'."  
  
The ghoul nodded, understanding. Their heritage was from a people who loved to do battle, and it seemed Endri still felt the need to wage wars. Beetlejuice had been able to forget and push away many of his instincts, making himself more of a "modern man", but his son still seemed to be existing in the past. Of course, he _was_ a hotheadand a little on the tipsy side of sane.  
  
"Well," the ghoul sighed, patting Kyle on the back, "keep 'im on his toes." He turned to leave, thrusting one hand into the air to wave goodbye. He vanished out through the back door, leaving Kyle to sigh and return to the living room to find his best friend standing at full attention, waiting.  
  
Kyle lay in bed on his stomach, his arms propped on his elbows, one hand supporting under his chin. Before him fluttered his little blue energy butterfly—a gift from his best friend. It flitted about, obeying the commands from its new owner. The human would move the forefinger of his free hand up and down, twirl it around, and other such motions, and the small creature would follow mindlessly.  
  
It landed on Kyle's pillow and crawled around, almost as if it was alive. He reached out to touch the wings, loving the way the energy made his fingers tingle and hum. The little insect took advantage of the poking fingers, crawling onto them and tiptoeing around with its teeny legs.  
  
Kyle smirked. It was exactly what he wanted.  
  
_Everything that's been happening—it's all so bizarre. I can't make heads or tails about what to do now. Things have changed so much from when this all started outfrom when we first met. I don't even really remember much about that night, I was so drunk._ He frowned, not really liking to remember those particular events of his past. Those had to be the hardest two years of his life, and every time he thought about them, a sour feeling rose in his stomach. If only he had known the way things would have turned out back then; he would have kicked Endri out of his bathroom and bled to death. Maybe then his absence wouldn't have sent his wife to another man's arms. He would have been with her, and their relationship could have been saved.  
  
But now, everything was turned upside down.  
  
The human sighed wearily, gazing blankly at the butterfly on his fingers._ I wish I knew what to do. Things are so much more complicated than they used to be. My best friend is a Neitherworld Nutcase._ He chuckled emptily. _Dammit._  
  
Kyle lifted his finger and touched it to the tip of his nose, allowing the butterfly to walk onto it. Its legs tickled, and its wings made his cheeks tingle when they came close. A lighter chuckle came from a tired throat.  
  
_So neat—that this is Endri's power. I've only ever seen him make something like this once beforewhen he fought the Limbo Drinker. He made swords and arrows and ropes. I oughta get him to do other stuff with it._ He paused to think for a while. _I remember Claire telling me he did somethingwhat was it?_ He thought more, going cross–eyed at the butterfly on his nose. The tiny animal reminded him, and he snapped his fingers. _Right! A tiger! Endri turned into a tiger for her. I've seen Beetle change into creatures, but never Endri. I'm gonna have to guilt him into doing it for me._ He snickered to himself. _I'm so mean.  
  
_Gently, Kyle lifted the butterfly from his nose and let it walk along the pillow again. _But what should I do about all this? I still don't know. Endri's only concern is to be my best friend, and he's so obsessed with it, it's to the point where he fights with **himself** and splits apart. Wellit's only happened that once, but it's still enough to cause real concern. I never knewI meant so much to him._ He sighed, his eyes half lidded. Night was beginning to settle over the land, and fatigue was beginning to settle over him.  
  
_This is so weird. When he's aroundI feelI feel happier. I feel like I'm not alone and never will be. Honestly, the only one that ever made me feel like that was Pepper, but now she's gone too. Hashas Endri replaced her in some way?_ Kyle tapped the pillow, getting the butterfly to walk over to his hand. _ActuallyI think 'Dri replaced a **lot** of people, not just her. He's everybody I ever needed all rolled up into one personand all showing themselves at different times. Poor schizo._ He paused for a few moments, just listening to his own breathing and the silence ringing in his ears.  
  
_All this time, I've had other people to take care of me: my parents, some of my friends,_ he paused, _Peppereven Endri took care of me, whether I admitted it or not. And now, **I'm** taking care of **him**. It's like he's been reduced to a four–year–old who has occasional spurts of adulthood. At least he still knows how to go to the bathroom on his own. Or does he even do that? Fuck, I have no clue. I can't remember a time I've seen him disappear for fifteen minutes or tell me he has to use the can. Maybe it's some ghost thing that he doesn't have to. Heh–heh!_ he chuckled in his mind. _Maybe I'll ask him about it someday.  
  
_Kyle smiled down at his gift and ran a tender fingertip along its wings, tracing the edges and feeling his digit tingle with a static–like hum. He sighed and let the smile fade from his lips and sadness to take its stead.  
  
_I feel so sorry for him. He doesn't deserve to have all this happening to him. I only know a little about his past, but from what I do know so far, he's done nothing to deserve this. Well, I can't say thatbut over time, he has made up for his misdeeds. So something else had to happen; something had to throw him over the edge. Maybe it was Claire dumping him? NoI think that was just the catalyst. He kept talking about the rest of his past and how horrible it was to live through, not just her. So, what was it? It must have been pretty damn terrible, and I bet he won't tell me willingly. I just hope I find out someday.  
  
I feel the need to understand him. Of all the people he's ever known, he needs to have at least **one** understand him. No one has to be alone, especially not him, and especially not now. He's about the only one who understands **me** now too. We have a certain connection that I don't think either of us has found anywhere else. Butwill he ever be the same? Will **I** ever? Will things eventually be the way they used to again?_ A deep sigh pushed through his lips, brought from the very tips of his toes. _So many questions only time can answer. Damn._  
  
A light tap sounded on the closed door, and Kyle looked over. "Yeah?"  
  
"_May I come in?_" a quiet voice asked from the other side.  
  
The human sat up, dangling his legs over the edge of his bed at the knees, his bare feet just grazing the floorboards. "Sure."  
  
The door opened with a long creek, and Endri stepped inside. He looked relatively normal save his slightly disheveled hair and the darker than normal rings under his eyes. Sleep had apparently become his enemy as of late.  
  
"I'm not disturbing you, am I?"  
  
"Nope, come on in," Kyle chirped, lifting the butterfly into his palm and "putting it away".  
  
The ghost pointed back out the door. "I–I can go if I'm bothering you, really."  
  
Sighing exasperatedly, the human grumbled a reprimanding "Endri"  
  
The ghost fidgeted with his hands, looking as though he was being scolded by a parent.  
  
"What did you want?"  
  
He swallowed. "M–May I come in?"  
  
"You _are_ in."  
  
Endri looked around in surprise. "Ohright."  
  
Kyle widened his eyes a little. "Are you feeling all right?"  
  
Fidgeting more, the ghost ran a hand through his hair, feebly trying to comb out some of the tangles. "Uhyeah—yeah, I'm fine."  
  
Kyle quirked a white eyebrow. _'Yeah'? Uh–huhsomething **is** wrong. Of course I don't know **why** I'm surprised._ "What's up, then?"  
  
Endri tried to smirk, supposedly one of the easiest things that came to him, but it turned into a quirky curl of his upper lip. He couldn't even do _that_ right anymore, and he knew it, but even still, he tried to not let on that he felt as though he was falling apart. He was supposed to be the strong one—he had always been. But he knew; he wasn't a fool. He knew _he_ was the weaker one now, and _Kyle_ was the stronger.  
  
Existing could be so cruel.  
  
"AhI just thought I'd pop insay hello." His attention was caught by the sunset outside the solitary window in the room, and he walked over to stare out quietly. His attention span was getting shorter and shorter. Things were not looking good for the son of Beetlejuice.  
  
_He's nervous about something. Though, I could be wrong. I mean, he **is** insane. My poor best friend_ Kyle stared over at Endri's profile looking out the window, _what's happened to you? How can I ever help you? Will you ever be like the man I met so long ago?_ The urge to get up and hug his best friend became almost overwhelming, but the human stayed put on the bed. He was wary of touching him for fear he would suddenly want him just for being a humanlike Pepperand tackle him like he had Faygo when he thought she was Claire—who was _also_ human. Kyle didn't think he would be able to deal with that.  
  
Endri just continued to gaze out the window, looking like a lost little boy. Kyle remembered how the ghost transformed into a little boy so many weeks ago when he recounted how he had discovered he was a ghost. He had never been really curious about how the ghost looked in the past, but after that episode, Kyle found himself wishing he could have known Endri even longer than he had. He wished he could have even grown up alongside his best friend, helping him through tough times and laughing with him through good times. It would have been nice.  
  
"Icame toapologize, Kyle. For the other day," Endri clarified, speaking without looking. "I don't know what came over me. II just didn't know what I was doing." His breath picked up a few notches, his gut tingling with nerves. "I'm sorry. Please, forgive me. I would h–hate to think you were angry with me."  
  
Kyle only smiled. "Endri, I'm not mad. I was at first, but then I realized you really didn't know."  
  
The ghost visibly calmed, but tensed again just as quickly. "KyleI care so much for you and everyone else, butI'm afraid I'm going to hurt you. I get so scared when I feelfeel that tingling wave of hysteria wash over me. I can't stop it when it starts. And I'm afraid that one of these days, I'm going to hurt you and not realize it. I don't want to deal with that kind of pain."  
  
Standing, Kyle slowly made his way over to his friend and stood behind him as the ghost took a shaking breath.  
  
"DDo I frighten you?" he asked quietly.  
  
The human smirked, but his friend could not see. "No, 'Dri, you don't."  
  
Endri looked to the ground outside the window. "But I frighten myself."  
  
Kyle's smirk fell. Dammit, now was not the time to be worried about being "touchy–feely" with his friend. Endri needed his support! Reaching up, he laid a hand to the ghost's shoulder and took a step closer, hooking the arm up along his upper back, and letting it rest there. A tremor of tension rippled through the already bunched muscles beneath the human's fingers.  
  
"You shouldn't fear yourself. A ghost like you? You shouldn't fear _anything_. You're so strong, Endri. Sometimes, I envy you." Kyle spoke softly, his voice calm and melodic.   
  
"But I'm different now. I can never be the same again; I know that. I'm not who I used to be and never will be again." His shoulders trembled beneath the human's hand. "It's justit's just" His breath hitched, and Kyle closed the space between them, hugging his friend's arm. "Kyle, I'm so scared!" Endri's entire body trembled like a dry leaf ready to crumble in someone's powerful grip. His friend reached around quickly to turn the ghost toward him, and the blonde's eyes stared blankly, his mouth slightly agape, panting ragged breaths.  
  
Kyle touched Endri's cheek and was rewarded by sparkling green eyes snapping toward his blue ones. "Don't be scared. I'm here for you, always."  
  
The ghost just whimpered.  
  
_What can I do for you? What can I do to make you see it's not so bad? Endri, you poor thing!_ He leaned in, cupping the back of Endri's head and pulled him into a hug.  
  
The ghost whimpered again, and Kyle closed all space between them, holding his friend close. The hug lasted for a long time, and all the while, the human held his friend close and wouldn't let go, trying, with that simple act, to give the blonde the strength and support he desperately needed.  
  
Endri wrapped his arms around Kyle, locking clinging hands around his back. He sighed lightly, feeling everything slip away but that one, warm feeling. It was all he felt—all he could focus on. Right then, his universe revolved around a pair of gentle hands slowly caressing his hair and shoulders. To stay just like that forever would be sweet eternal bliss. No thoughts of the future—no thoughts of the past—no thoughts at all—just one, long, everlasting, sinfully perfect hug.  
  
Time ticked by, and after a minute, Kyle slowly pulled away, swiping his fingers through long but greasy hair one last time. Endri looked much calmer, but he still trembled lightly.  
  
The human smiled at his friend and squeezed his shoulder in reassurance one more time. He parted his lips to say something, but was silenced by another pair clamping over his. His eyes bulged, and he struggled immediately, pushing Endri away and stumbling back to knock his heels against the foot of his bed. Both stared at each other in the silence between them, and Kyle gaped in disbelief at his friend.  
  
_I can't believe he just did that! Hehe **kissed** me!_ "E–Endri" he managed to get out after finding his voice. "I don't know what you were thinking right then, but I did _not_ want that. What the hell is _wrong_ with you?! The other day you attack my daughter and now you try to kiss _me?_ What is going through that head of yours?!"  
  
The ghost's hands began to shake, and he took a step back further from his friend. "F–Forgive me."  
  
Kyle stared at him, shaking his head. "No, 'Dri. Ya know what? It's not your fault. I shouldn't have even agreed to stick with you so much by being your caretaker. I think you're thinking _way_ too much into the care I'm giving you day in and day out."  
  
Endri shook his head. "N–No, really. We're best friends, aren't we? Friends kiss, don't they?"  
  
"Yeah, friends can kiss, but not like _that!_" the human shouted, waving his hand toward the ghost.  
  
Endri bit his lip. "ButI thought that since you hugged me that way, you wouldn't mind if I kissed you too. I kissed you before, and you didn't mind so much."  
  
"You kissed my _forehead_, Endri. _Not_ my lips! If you wanna kiss me, that's okay, I guess, but leave my fuckin' lips out of it! Men don't kiss each other on the lips, even if they're friends. It's just not the way they act."  
  
The ghost nodded quickly, fast to understand and accept what Kyle told him. "Okay. I'm sorry, Ikind of got confused." He chuckled nervously, running a hand back through his hair.  
  
With a frustrated sigh, the human shook his head and crossed his arms. "You're always confused now, Endri. I just don't know what to do with you anymore. There's always something wrong, something upsetting you, something going on with you, and every time, _I_ have to deal with it! Do you know how difficult it is to deal with you when you have one of your episodes? I'm surprised I get through to you half the time," he grumbled. Kyle looked up, then, hearing a strained noise come from his friend.  
  
The ghost stood rigid a few feet away, fists clenched at his sides, lips pursed tightly together, and tears brimming his eyes.  
  
The human swallowed at the sight, suddenly regretting his choice of words. He could smack himself in the forehead for being so stupid! Endri wasn't at fault, not really. All he was trying to do was be friendly and caring, and there Kyle was, putting the blame on him and his weak mental stability. He felt like such an ass.  
  
"D–Dammit, Kyle!" Endri burst out suddenly. "If you don't want to be around me because of my 'insanity', just fucking say so! I never asked you to take care of me to begin with!" he shouted, fisting his hands so tight, the veins in his arms and neck stood out. His body trembled in anger.  
  
Kyle swallowed nervously. He had seriously screwed that one up. "'Dri, II'm sorry—"  
  
Growling, the ghost turned and stormed from the room before his friend could even finish.  
  
Kyle reached for the half open doorway with outstretched fingers, whispering, "_I'm sorry I hurt you._"  
  
Endri bounded into the living room almost plowing his father over. Tears covered his cheeks, and he could barely keep his balance. Beetlejuice held his son by the shoulders, preventing him from leaving or falling.  
  
"Endri? What's wrong?"  
  
The ghost just shook his head, biting his lip to keep the sobs from escaping. It was too late for the tears.  
  
"Tell me," his father coaxed gently.  
  
"_K–Kyleh–he—_" A sob cut his speech off. Embarrassed, he dropped his head forward, letting his long hair cover his face, his shoulders lurching from hushed cries. It was as if everything in his world had been blown away in one instant.  
  
Beetlejuice hugged his son tightly, rubbing the back of his head. "What'd he do?"  
  
Endri hugged back so hard, he almost broke a few of his father's ribs. "_H–Hem–me._"  
  
The ghoul patted the boy's back, looking a little confused. "Wellisn't that a _good_ thing?"  
  
"B–But heh–he—" he sobbed, "he d–doesn't care about me! He yelled at me! H–He said he shouldn't have agreed to take care of me, Papa!"  
  
Beetlejuice glared up the staircase. "I'm sure he didn't mean it, kid."  
  
Endri shook his head against a striped shoulder. "Nohe said he was sick of dealing with my episodes. I–I thought he at least cared about me."  
  
"Sure he does, kid. There's just a lot goin' on for him right now. His wife only left him about two months ago. He's still prob'ly stressed over that."  
  
"But he said he'd try. H–He said he'd try to stick with me. Now—Now he yells at me? I can't help what's wrong with me; he knows that!"  
  
"Kyle's not used to taking care of someone fulltime, ya know? I'm sure if he was the one sick, you'd get frustrated with him sometimes too. Just give it a little time, kid." The ghoul tilted his son's chin to make him look up. "Okay? Is that okay with you?"  
  
Endri sniffed and nodded slowly, pulling away. His lower lip quivered and another tear dripped down, not to be left behind. "Papa"  
  
"Mm?"  
  
He looked down to the floor. "Things will never be the same again, will they?" he asked, looking back up. "Not my afterlifenot menot my friendship with Kyle. Nothing will ever be the same."  
  
Sadness crept over Beetlejuice's pale visage. "Kidthings and people change, sometimes for no reason. Ya gotta roll with the punches and take things as they come. Ya gotta be strong and fight for what you believe in. And you'll eventually realize that it's the _struggle_ that countsnot getting to your goal. That's why ya gotta keep creating _new_ goals for yourself, so you'll keep havin' somthin' to look forward to." He paused to gauge his son's reaction to the advice. It sounded pretty damn good to _him_.  
  
Endri stared at the floor, his entire being calmed and collected. Slowly, his head rose to look at his father. "You're right, Papa," he said, his voice slow, almost monotone. "You're absolutely right. Thank you." Turning, he headed back upstairs and to his bedroom, moving lethargically.  
  
Beetlejuice shook his head. _I just hope I got through to him._

* * *

Japanese / pronunciation / English Translation:  
  
None this time! (I think...)   
  
Poor Endri. Had a fight with his best friend, and now he's all depressed. :( I know this chapter was pretty long, but just bear with me. Personally, I like long chapters. It makes it worth reading it. I dislike those wimpy little updates of only like...500 words. rolls eyes Make the update worth it!!  
  
Anyway...do come back next time. There's some more CRAZY stuff next chapter! Trust me...because I'm insane in the membrane...yo. 


	8. One and Two Makes Two

A story about life, love, courage, and testing ultimate friendship. What happens to Beetlejuice and his friends when one of their own falls into despair and changes completely? Nothing will ever be the same. This story is an **Alternate Universe** set five years after _Dark Shadows_ in the year 2008, and does **not** follow the intended story line. I repeat, this story does **NOT** follow the intended story line of the two stories (_A New Beginning_ & _Dark Shadows_) included in my _Beetlejuice Afterlife_ series, which is why it is simply titled "Mania" and not "Beetlejuice Afterlife – Mania". If I have someone ask me why I would put this as a sequel, I'll ignore them, because, right here it says: **THIS STORY IS NOT A SEQUEL**. This story was just bursting to be written, but I have no intention to make it part of my previous series. It just happens to use that series' events as a prelude. I hope there is no confusion.

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Another long chapter. Get some popcorn or something. It'll be worth it.  
  
Kyle's mad. Endri's crazy. Why do I do this to my own characters? ... Because I love them so.

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Mania  
Spencers13 – March 2003–March 2004  
R – Drama – Angst 

  
  
Chapter Eight – One and Two Makes Two  
  
Sighing as he removed two slices of surprisingly fresh bread from its bag, Kyle twisted the tie back around the plastic to _keep_ it fresh with a quick wrench of his hand. The next thing he went for was the peanut butter. He was glad that stuff took a long time to go bad. The reason he was so concerned with those things was because it was always a chore to find something that was actually edible around the Roadhouse since food went bad there amazingly fastor so he thought, anyway.  
  
It had been quiet around the house for a few days now, something that was as rare as finding fresh food. Of course, he could be attributing that to the fact that Endri had holed himself up in his room and not come out for two full days.  
  
Beetlejuice stepped into the kitchen and immediately crossed his arms, glaring in Kyle's direction. "I wanna talk to you."  
  
Kyle pulled out a butter knife from a drawer beside the sink and stabbed it into the jar of peanut butter as he made his way back to the table, not looking at the new arrival. "About what?"  
  
"You did something to Endri the other day. You upset him." The ghoul didn't sound happy.  
  
The human rolled his eyes but made sure Beetlejuice couldn't see. "And you find that surprising? Everything upsets him nowadays."  
  
"Not enough to make him stay in his room like this." He frowned even deeper. "What gives you the right to make him feel like that?"  
  
"Feel like what?"  
  
"Like shit, obviously!"  
  
Kyle grunted and slammed the knife half-covered with peanut butter on the table. He turned quickly, a frown on his white brow as well. "How the hell do you know how he feels?! The man's insane! He could feel anything at any given moment! Frankly, I'm surprised he's let it carry on this long."  
  
"Let _what_ carry on this long?"  
  
He turned away again, picking up the knife and going back to making his sandwich. "Nothing," he stated flatly.  
  
Beetlejuice hated games. Guessing games were the worst, but emotional games ranked really high up there too. Something happened between those two that night Endri ran down the stairs and into his arms, crying like his world had shattered. Was it just as he had said—that Kyle told him he wished he hadn't become his caretaker? Or was there something more, something deeper beneath the surface. Man, he hated digging too.  
  
"I want you to tell me exactly what you said to my son the other night to make him so upset."  
  
"Or what, you'll zap me?"  
  
"If I have to."  
  
Kyle looked over. Beetlejuice wasn't kidding, and he knew it. His ass would soon be on literal fire if he didn't speak upnot that he was scared.  
  
"He did something to piss me off, and I told him I shouldn't have agreed to be his caretaker because he was" he paused for a while, knowing what he wanted to say, but hoping the ghoul wouldn't get any wrong ideaseven if the idea was wrong to begin with, "because he was thinking too much into the care I gave him."  
  
Beetlejuice gave the man a raised brow of confusion. "What do you mean—thinking too much into it."  
  
"Just what I said."  
  
"Dammit, Kyle, enough of these stupid games!" he exploded. Something was wrong with his son, something worse than his mental condition anyway, and he wanted to know what it was _now!_ "You tell me why my son has locked himself away from everything and won't come out for nothing! And if you don't, Endri won't ever have a caretaker again," he growled darkly.  
  
Kyle blinked at him, first in surprise, then with hardly any emotion at all. "So now you threaten me." He huffed a short laugh. "Why am I not surprised? You would take away the only thing your son truly cares about?"  
  
Beetlejuice frowned darkly. "You think you're that special, do you?"  
  
The human smiled almost sweetly, but there was a tinge of malice lurking around the corners of his lips. "No," he said simply. "Endri's the one who thinks that."  
  
Beetlejuice was becoming beyond frustrated. Not only was that guy implying Endri cared more about him than his own faather, but the obnoxious human thought he could control the situation. How Endri got along with that man, he would never know.  
  
"Open your fucking mouth and tell me!!" he screamed.  
  
"Fine! He kissed me! Are you happy now?!" Kyle shouted back, anger ripping through his body so starkly, he lifted the butter knife he had been using to spread peanut butter onto his sandwich and drove it down into the table, embedding it deeper than he would later imagine he could.  
  
Beetlejuice blinked and uncrossed his arms, staring at Kyle's back as he braced himself against the table and panted for a breath after that outburst. "Hekissed you?"  
  
"Right on the fuckin' mouth. So, of course, I was angry about it, as any normal guy would be. That's what he did to piss me off, and that's why I yelled at him. Okay? Is that all you want? You want every detail of how it happened too? Every sordid detail of how his lips felt, his breath, huh?!"  
  
The ghoul smirked at his back. "No, that's fine." He went silent for a moment, amused to no end that a simple kiss was what the whole ordeal was about. He stepped forward and leaned his backside against the end of the table a few feet away from the disgruntled human. "You know" he stopped there, distracted when Kyle yanked the knife from the table and took it over to the sink to drop it in, then found a clean one.  
  
"I know what?" he grunted.  
  
Beetlejuice smirked and said quite matter-of-factly, "You know, it doesn't matter here in the Neitherworld."  
  
Kyle kept his eyes off of him as he went back to smoothing peanut butter over the other slice of bread. "What doesn't?"  
  
"'It'."  
  
Huffing, the human put down his knife, obviously not going to be able to finish his sandwich until the annoying ghoul left. "What? It what? Guys kissing?" He made a slight face.  
  
Beetlejuice laughed quietly and nodded, but when Kyle gave him a confused look, he went a little further to explain, "Cripes, Kyle, this is the _Neitherworld! Nothing_ matters here! Everybody's dead. Half the inhabitants of this world are so misshapen and grotesque, you can't tell if they're guys or girls. It's the way it's _always_ been here."  
  
The human blinked at him for a long moment before being able to utter, "Wellwhat about parts? Don't the parts count? Wouldn't that tell who's male and female?"  
  
"Most of the time, even the parts are twisted beyond recognition. It's just whoever has something that can be put into someone else's something, and that's how they go."  
  
Kyle's nose wrinkled in disgust.  
  
"I can see how it would be unacceptable and gross to you, but when you die and come here, you'll figure it out for yourself."  
  
"When I die and come here, I'd better not be one of those creatures you said aboutthat I see on the streets. I want to stay just the way I am, thank you."  
  
"Well, that will all depend on how you lived your life."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Didn't you know that either? Geez, Kyle, and I thought you were supposed to be some kind of genius." He gave the man a sly smirk, his head turned just slightly away.  
  
Kyle frowned at the owner of that remark. "I just never asked about it, and no one ever told me until now. You got a problem with that?"  
  
Beetlejuice shook his head, still smirking. "Nope. But all this other stuff aside, I just think that you should talk to him. Maybe he's just confused."  
  
"Yeah, he's confused, all right," the human grumbled, rolling his eyes.  
  
"I mean about that kiss," the ghoul ground out, eyes narrowing. "You two are always together, and you're taking care of him all the time, doing things that could very well be misunderstood as intimate by him. Maybe he thinks you two are an item."  
  
"Well, we're _not_ and item. Never was, never will be."  
  
"Do you think he understands that?"  
  
Kyle fell silent for a moment, then recalled, "But he was talking about friendship when he kissed me. Saying that friends kiss, and he didn't think I'd mind because we were best friends."  
  
"Well, then, maybe you _shouldn't_ have minded."  
  
"But he kissed me on the lips!" he shouted out, raising a hand in the air in exasperation. "Anywhere else, I woulda been a little weirded out, but it wouldn't have been that bad. And I told him that it wasn't right, and he understood that and said he wouldn't do it again, but then Iyelling at him." He trailed off, seeing the error he had made for the first time. He sighed deeply and lifted a hand to his face, cupping his eyes. "Shit"  
  
Beetlejuice just smirked. "Talk to him. He needs you."  
  
Kyle nodded, removing his hand, and left the kitchen immediately.  
  
How could he have been so foolish? Just because he had been insecure about himself, he had hurt the one most important to him. He was heading straight for a warped body for that one, if he didn't right his wrong.  
  
He jogged up the stairs and came to a stop in front of Endri's door. A hesitant moment was spent there as he stared at the worn wood, trying to think of something to say should he have to face his friend. Mustering up the courage, he lifted a hand and rapped the backs of his knuckles against the door.  
  
"E-Endri? Heyit's me. Can we talk?"  
  
Silence answered him. He waited for a while, just to make sure Endri wasn't hesitating himself.  
  
"Come-on, 'Driplease? I wanna talk to you, okay? Justjust open the door."  
  
The door did not open, nor did he hear anything from within.  
  
"Endri" He sighed almost tiredly and turned his back, leaning against the door and sliding down to sit on his behind. "Look, II'm sorry for the other day, Endri. I'm sorry I yelled at you. I had no right. It's just that you did thatyou kissed me, and I thought you meant it as something more than it was. But you were just being friendly, and I didn't see that. I'm really sorry, okay? Please don't stay locked in there anymore."  
  
His left hand drifted down to lay against the floorboards, his fingers pointing out behind him. He slid the hand back, pushing his fingers through the gap between the floor and the door as if waiting for someone to reach down there from the other side and take hold of them.  
  
"If you come out, II'll even let you kiss me again. N-Not the lips, though!" he threw in quickly. "Justcheek or something. 'Cause we're pals right? We're best friendsand it'sit's okay for friends to kiss, like you said. I'm okay with that. Hell, I mean, foreign dignitaries even greet each other by kissing each cheek, right? Soso it's okay, 'Dri. I mean it." He fell silent, wondering if Endri had even heard him through the door at all.  
  
After a while, and still, the door had not opened, and still, not a sound was heard from the other side, Kyle pulled his fingers from under the door and worked his way back to his feet, sighing deeply, saddened. "It's okay if you're not ready to come out yet, 'Dri. I can wait, then. I hope you won't take too long. II miss you, okay?" His voice tapered off to a whisper. "_Miss you, Partner._"  
  
He turned, hands in his pockets, and went back downstairs to finish his sandwich at last. But as his body vanished down the stairs, he never saw the pale set of digits reach out from under the door where his fingers had been only a few moments prior.  
  
Lying in bed, Kyle stared upward, watching the dark shadows swirl and play along the badly painted ceiling of his bedroom. It was night outside, and the glow from the ever–present moons cast those strange shadows over his entire room.  
  
When he had first arrived in the Neitherworld and had spent the first few nights there, those same shadows had frightened him into leaving his bedroom and seeking comfort in his best friend's room. In the morning, he would adamantly deny ever being afraid of the dark, saying he had sleepwalked in and settled on the floor next to Endri's bed for the night. The ghost would just nod and offer some breakfast, letting everything slide. And he never mentioned the fact that Kyle never used to sleepwalk before they came to the Neitherworld, knowing the human was just making excuses. He never minded at all.  
  
Kyle rolled over in bed and faced the wall, trying to sleep. But, try as he might, he could not. He had been lying there for hours now, going over and over what happened over a week ago. He just couldn't get it out of his head—that horrible mistake he had made.  
  
_Endri's been locked up in his room for almost a week now. He won't come out, he won't eat, he won't even answer when we knock on the door. I think I **really** hurt him by yelling at him like that._ The human frowned, clenching his fists into the sheets near his face. _Dammit, this is all my fault! If I hadn't gotten so damn pissed about everything_ He sighed. _How do I fix this? Beetle can't help this time. No one can. Only **I** can fix this shit, I suppose. After all, I'm the one who triggered most of his outbursts and 'episodes'. But what can I do? I already tried apologizing, but he never acknowledged me. He won't let anyone in his room; he won't even acknowledge **anyone's** presence. Maybe if I **demand** he open the—_  
  
The door to Kyle's room flew open and Endri rushed inside, slamming it back shut again and leaning against it, bracing it. Sitting up in surprise, the human stared across the dimly–lit room at the ghost panting and holding the door shut as if his afterlife depended on it.  
  
"Endri?!"  
  
The ghost in question swung his head around in surprise. He looked as though he hadn't even known his friend was there. "Ky–_chan_?"  
  
Frowning, Kyle reached over to click the bedside lamp on. The small light illuminated the room, but poorly, casting deep, tall shadows along the walls. "What the hell's goin' on?"  
  
Endri visibly began to panic. "I–I'm sorry! I looked in a mirror!"  
  
Kyle frowned again. "What?"  
  
"I looked in a mirror and saw him again!"  
  
"Saw who again?"  
  
"H–He's after me!"  
  
"_Who's_ after you?!"  
  
"Me!"  
  
Kyle's eyes widened in alarm. _Oh, no._  
  
Something slammed into the door from the other side, and Endri barely managed to hold it shut. "_IYA!_ Ky–_chan_, run! Get out of here! He'll hurt you!"  
  
Another slam, and the ghost was thrown to the floor, landing on his back with a hollow thud. The door swung open, broken off one hinge, and in charged Endri's hardened, warrior side, Hidari, again wearing his old black outfit of a trench coat and pouches. He threw himself on top of his weaker counterpart and reared back to punch, holding the good side of Endri, Kenri, down by his throat.  
  
Kyle leapt out of bed, wearing only a pair of grey flannel sleep pants. "Stop it! Don't hit him!"  
  
Freezing, Hidari slowly turned his head, resting his angry gaze to the human.  
  
Kyle gulped silently under the piercing gaze of those two different eyes.  
  
"Well, hello. Fancy meeting _you_ here. I've been waiting to get my hands on you for a while now, Kyle."  
  
Kenri thrashed beneath his captor, both hands gripped to the one around his neck. "_I–Iya_! Leave him be!" he rasped.  
  
Out through the doorway, running stomps resounded on the rickety wooden staircase.  
  
"Endri?! Kyle?! What's goin' on up there?!"  
  
Hidari hissed, glowering his eyes. "That old fool! He will _not_ interrupt again!" He swung his free arm back, and simultaneously with the movement, the broken door slammed shut just as Beetlejuice reached it and saw his son had split into two again. The entire door vanished, leaving only a blank wall in its place.  
  
Loud pounding erupted from the other side of the wall. "_Dammit, no! Endri, pull yourself together!_"  
  
Growling, Hidari stretched his free arm to the ceiling and yelled, "_Shogai_!" His hand glowed a bright blue a second before the energy shot from it to hit the ceiling. All four walls, the ceiling, and floor glowed the same lovely blue for a second, then faded. The sounds of pounding and shouting from outside disappeared.  
  
Kyle could feel the icy chill of fear run down his spine in the sudden silence. "Wh–What did you do?"  
  
"No one will bother us. Not tonight. We can hear nothing of the outside world, and they cannot hear anything that happens in here. It's just us now." Hidari grinned maliciously.  
  
The human swallowed with difficulty. "Now—Now listen to me, Endri. Pull yourself back together. You aren't meant to be two people. And you certainly aren't meant to hurt yourself!"  
  
"Oh, but this is so much fun!" The rent ghost laughed hysterically, the sound sending more chills down Kyle's spine. "I've never been so fucking free! To just be able to move without being hindered by this no–account _weakling_ is like a breath of fresh air!" He glared hatefully at Kenri, then cast his eyes back to the human. "And since I seem to be the dominant body in this room, and since we seem to have plenty of time on our handslet's have some fun."  
  
Hidari stood, pulling Kenri up with him. He shoved the weaker part of himself toward Kyle, and they collided, crashing to the floor, Kenri lying half–sprawled over the human. Hidari was upon them in the next instant, pinning them both down.  
  
"Let's play a game, shall we? I will slowly torture _one_ of you, and it will be up to _Kyle_ to decide which one it will be."  
  
The human glared at him, but no matter how he tried, he couldn't hide the fear in his eyes. "You're sick."  
  
Hidari grinned. "No, I'm insane. There _is_ a difference. Though, it's a very fine line that separates the two. Now decide."  
  
"No, I won't make such a ludicrous decision! This is crazy! Let us up!" Kyle struggled, trying to get his left arm from under Kenri as his right was being melded into the floorboards by a harsh hand. But the ghost couldn't move, also being pinned roughly.  
  
Hidari smirked that famous Endri smirk all too easily, but instead of coming across as smug or handsome, it dripped with malicious intent. "Ah, Kyle, it pains me to see you like this—all helpless and yet hostile. You really know what appeals to my 'barbaric' soul."  
  
The human only growled, feeling like a caged animal as it was.  
  
"Decide, or I will beat him until he doesn't exist, and then kill _you!_"  
  
Kenri whimpered. "No, pleasej–just do it to me. Don't hurt him."  
  
The stronger of the two sides of Endri looked to his weaker counterpart, then back to Kyle. "How sweet. Do you see how much he cares about you? He's willing to sacrifice his own self for the sake of your life. How noble, wouldn't you agree?"  
  
Panting lightly with both fear and anger, the human looked over to Kenri. The poor half ghost had tears in his eyes, but a smile was on his lips as he gazed tenderly at Kyle.  
  
"Did you know that we share similar, yet opposite feelings, and that those feelings are multiplied in both of us now that we're separated? He feels nothing but pure, unadulterated love for you, while I feel nothing but disgusted hatred for you. _Heh_ Put two and two together, and you get us as we normally are: showing only the heartfelt friendship that has tied you and I together for so long. But with me freemy rage is freeand so I crave to either utterly humiliate you or destroy you once and for all!" Leaning down, Hidari snapped his teeth threateningly near Kyle's neck.  
  
The human jerked his head to the side in alarm, his blue eyes going wide.  
  
Hidari leaned back up, grinning. "You don't want that? Does that mean you've made your decision?"  
  
Kyle frowned, bearing his teeth in a snarl. "No! I don't want _either_ of us to be hurt by you, you sadistic bastard! What I _want_ is for you to get it back together!"  
  
"Get back together with him?" Hidari paused to feign thinking. "No, that's okay. I'd rather destroy him so that will never be possible again."  
  
"N—!" Kyle was cut off as leather cuffs appeared from nowhere and latched around each of his wrists, then dragged him across the floor to the wall next to his bedside stand. His arms flew up and snapped to the wall, pinned by the cuffs, and they pulled up on him until he was in a sitting position. It was lost on him then, but later he would realize that he hadn't even procured a single scratch.  
  
Hidari gripped Kenri by the shirt and held him to the floor securely. "Now we have some fun, _ne_? I will take you apartbit by bitpiece by pieceuntil there is nothing but a stain on the floor to remind me of your sickening presence." With a feral grin, he reached up with one hand and dug his pale fingers into the collar of Kenri's white T–shirt, pulling up and ripping it straight down the front, opening it as if it was a button–up shirt.  
  
The weaker ghost turned his head to the side and winced, whimpering.  
  
"No, stop! Don't hurt him, please!" Kyle begged, pulling on his restraints. He desperately wanted to throw his arms around his poor victimized friend and comfort him, then pound the shit out of Hidari. But, since he was literally tied up at the moment, perhaps another approach would be at least a little helpful. "You said before that I was yours and would make a goodpet. If you don't hurt him, II'll do whatever you want."  
  
Hidari frowned but released Kenri's shirt. He remained kneeling over his double, keeping him pinned down, and pondered for a moment. "Very well, Kyle. I've always had a hard time refusing you, even though I am nowhere _near_ as weak as this little Kenri." He glared hatefully down at his counterpart. "I won't hurt him. In fact, I'll be very nice to both of you. Would you like that, little Kenri?" he asked sweetly, voice dripping with saccharine.  
  
"P–Pleasedon't hurt menot like last time," he whimpered. "Don't hurt Ky–_chan_ either. He's so innocent."  
  
"Don't worry." Hidari leaned down, resting his elbows to Kenri's chest, and propped himself there in a thoughtful position. His finger tapped against his lower lip in contemplation as he stared across the small room at Kyle pinned to the wall. "Let's seewhat shall I train you to do first, my pet?" he wondered aloud. He felt his opposite swallow beneath him and looked down. He stared into his own eyes for a moment before becoming disgusted with how innocent and frightened they looked, then lifted one fist and bopped the back of his knuckles against the ghost's mouth, splitting his bottom lip.  
  
Kenri grunted in pain and squeezed his eyes shut, but made no other move.  
  
"You said you wouldn't hurt him!" Kyle shouted, yanking on his cuffs.  
  
Hidari just ignored him, choosing instead to lean down and rake his tongue over the newly bleeding flesh.  
  
The human widened his eyes in disbelief. _He's a **sadist!**_  
  
The cruel ghost sucked hungrily on Kenri's lip also nibbling with his teeth, enough to make marks but not enough to puncture the skin anymore than it was. He pulled away slowly, a frown on his brow. "_Ugh_so stale," he grumbled. "ButI suppose it's better than nothing at all." He looked up to Kyle and smirked. "Don't worry, my pet. I'll train you later. Right now, I need to punish my weaker half for always hindering my desires behind kindness and care. I forgot that's what I was doing to him before you and Father so rudely interrupted last time. My memory isn't the best as of late, you see."  
  
Kyle bit his lip and thought quickly. "Umdo you really have to do this, Endri?"  
  
"Eh?"  
  
"_Nani_?"  
  
He blinked, seeing both Endri's staring at him.  
  
The darker of the two smirked. "_Heh–heh_. I am Hidari."  
  
"And I am Kenri," the other joined in.  
  
"While apart, we are not 'Endri'." Hidari leaned back down to suckle on Kenri's lip again, trailing along his cheek to his ear where he bit down and drew more blood.  
  
Kyle swallowed. "Then, Heedrido you _have_ to do this? I mean—"  
  
"Hidari! Hee–da–ree! Dammit, you were never good with Japanese, Kyle. You always butchered what I tried to teach you." He pushed Kenri further against the floor firmly, then backed away to pull off his black trench coat. "Yes, I must do this. I've become so frustrated as of late. Now that I remember how good it can be to drink another's blood, beat on them mercilessly, and be just plain mean, I _crave_ it. Even if I have to do it to myself. I have nothing better to do right now anyway, and little Kenri here needs a lesson. It's called 'Never Fuck With An Insane Ghost Or You Might Get Hurt'." He reached down, and with a quick wrench of his hands, pulled his counterpart's hair to the side and bit down on his neck savagely.  
  
"_Ah!_"  
  
"You said you wouldn't hurt him!" the human repeated, struggling anew.  
  
"I knowbut it really can't be helped." He chuckled, slowly lapping Kenri's thick blood from the oozing wound. He leaned up again, gazing into his copy's eyes as he licked the blood from his lips. "You're mine now," he hummed almost, but not quite, seductively.  
  
"I was yours to begin with," Kenri replied, his voice small and demure.  
  
"Truebut now it's official. I just want to make sure you know who the dominant one is."  
  
"I know."  
  
Hidari grinned and licked his lips again. Hearing he was in charge was almost as good as enforcing it. "Who is your master?"  
  
Kenri closed his eyes and let his head drift to the side, not wanting to look.  
  
"Who, dammit?!"  
  
"_Y–You are,_" the weak ghost admitted quietly.  
  
"Say it," Hidari hissed, clenching tightly to his counterpart's shoulders.  
  
"You are my master, Hidari–_sama_," Kenri said louder.  
  
"Who is the most powerful?"  
  
"You are the most powerful, Hidari–_sama_."  
  
"Who deserves to rule the Neitherworld with an iron fist?!" Hidari laughed maniacally, tilting his head back.  
  
"Y–You do, Hidari–_sama_," Kenri answered again, appeasing his warrior side.  
  
The dark side of Endri continued laughing insanely, pausing only long enough to say, "And as soon as I'm through with you and subdue Kyle, I _will_ rule the Neitherworld!" His uproar died down suddenly, and he hissed through gritted teeth. "Everyone will pay for pushing me away! They'll pay for treating me badly simply because of my idiot father's reputation. Which reminds meI should do away with him as soon as I get the chance." He laughed again for a few seconds before turning another one–eighty and diving down to lock his lips to Kenri's.  
  
The timid ghost didn't seem to be having as many emotional twists and turns, bumps and dips, and all around randomness as his counterpart, Hidari. The warrior side of Endri seemed to be both the most powerful and the most tipsy of the two, and his insane ramblings and actions seemed to be catching everyone off guard every other moment.  
  
And Kenri was certainly caught off guard as he muffled a protesting cry against his assailant's mouth, the last half of it escaping as the powerful ghost pulled away and moved to suck up more blood seeping from his neck wound.  
  
Kyle gulped again. _Holy shit, it's like fuckin' twins! What the hell am I supposed to do?! Sit here and **watch?!** How much more psychotic can this get?!_ He yanked his arms forward, trying to pull away, but the leather cuffs seemed to be magnetized to the wall, holding his wrists securely. He wasn't going anywhere.  
  
"Endr—I mean, Hidari, stop! Just let him go; you're hurting him!"  
  
Hidari looked up, his lips and part of his chin covered in deep red blood. It almost looked like he had been _eating_ his counterpart, but, fortunately, that wasn't the case.  
  
"So, you want your training now, eh? All right," he said, licking his lips and wiping his chin.  
  
"_N–NoHidari,_" Kenri moaned, weakly holding his opposite's shirt. "_Leave him be._"  
  
"I seem to be so popular tonight!" Hidari laughed, tugging his shirt from Kenri's grip and standing. He stared down at himself with an angry scowl for a moment before rearing his leg back and smashing his boot against his twin's side.  
  
Kenri shouted in pain and curled into himself, rolling over to get away.  
  
"Bastard! Leave him alone!" Kyle cried, struggling again with his restraints.  
  
Hidari was upon him in a flash, putting himself and Kyle almost nose to nose. His two different eyes glittered evilly as he stared the human down, allowing silence and the stare to bore into the man's courage and leave him a quaking mess. Endri had never frightened him quite like that, and it was a horrific feeling to say the least.  
  
"I want no lip from you, human," he hissed after a moment. "From now on, you will do what I say, when I say. Is that clear?"  
  
Kyle swallowed, but made no attempt at answering.  
  
Growling in anger, Hidari reached up and clamped a hand around the human's neck, but did not squeeze. "I saidis—that—clear?"  
  
Kyle closed his eyes and welled what little courage he had left. Upon opening his eyes again, he glared at the one side of his rent friend and said in a rasping voice, "You won't hurt me."  
  
Hidari bared his teeth in a snarl. "You dare to say such things. I could tear your head off right now and think nothing of it."  
  
"But you won't," the human argued, tone quiet and meaningful.  
  
"And why is that?"  
  
"B–BecauseI'm your friend. I mean too much to you."  
  
"HA!" Hidari laughed loudly, making Kyle's ears ring. "How presumptuous of you! I care about you. Don't make me retch."  
  
"It's true," the human dared to press. "I'm the only one who's ever been there for you when you needed me."  
  
"No, you were there for Kenri, when his weak little emotions became too much for him to handle."  
  
"But it wasn't just Kenri. You and he were both together. So I was there for _both_ of you. You're both part of one whole being who means more to me thanthan anything," Kyle admitted, realizing it was true. Endri _did_ mean everything to him because he was the closest one to him—always there, always offering advice or a shoulder to cry on. He didn't exactly want to pick out curtains with the guy, but he couldn't deny he loved him like the brother he never had. "And I can't just take one part of Endri and like it, but not the other. I like all of Endri, which means I like _you_ too, Hidari. You're my friend. You mean so much to me—just like Kenri, and just like the ghost the two of you make."  
  
Hidari knelt before Kyle, one hand around his neck and his entire body motionless. He blinked only a few times as he stared the human down, letting himself think and consider. After a moment, a frown pulled his fair brows down, and he glared maliciously.  
  
"Nice try. But I won't be fooled by the likes of you. It's because of _you_ that Kenri has gained more power than he ever had before. He actually gained enough to suppress me almost completely because of that disgusting thing you two called a friendship. But fortunately, we, as a whole, had gone insane, and I've been able to pull away from his foul sweetness. I'm not going back to that! And I'm not going back to being forced to 'like' you, human. I am a Viking warrior! I have no friends, no family, no allies. I have only enemies to battle and destroy, and only weak people to dominate and control. You are _nothing_ to me," Hidari spat venomously, glaring so hard, his eye with the red Mania rings twitched.  
  
Kyle looked upon him with utter sadness. "Youdon't mean that. Endri would never say I meant nothing. I mean everything to you."  
  
"You mean everything to _Kenri_ over there!" the ghost growled, cocking his head back toward the other blonde curled on the floor and shaking. "Did you forget? He is the part that loves you. But _I_ am the part that hates your bloody existence! Only when we're _together_ does it balance out to the friendship you had." Hidari smirked evilly, ready to deliver the final blow to Kyle's heart. "It's just too bad I'll never join with him again. You'll never have 'Endri' again. Your pitiful best friend is no more, and never will be again!"  
  
The human's head hung low, as low as it could for the ghost's hand still over his throat. It seemed hopeless. Hidari would never consent to getting back together with Kenri, so Endri was as good as gone.  
  
Sadness ripped through Kyle's being, leaving sweating palms, glossy eyes, and a lump in his throat. Endri was gone—gone for good. It reminded him of when he thought he lost him a few years ago to the Limbo Drinker. No one knew, but he had cried for hours after he was alone and the weight of everything finally hit him. His best friend, stolen from him just like the rest of his family had been. And now, his best friend had fallen away from him again, slipping through his fingers because he wasn't strong enough to keep him together and hold on.  
  
A tear glided down Kyle's cheek and dripped onto Hidari's wrist. The ghost recoiled like he had been stung, gasping and falling back onto his backside. The human looked up in surprise, seeing his rent friend shifting his gaze between him and his wrist with a look of utter astonishment on his face. A moment later, Hidari was shifting to sit before Kyle, suspicion in his eyes.  
  
"Why?"  
  
Kyle cocked his head a bit to the side.  
  
"Why shed a tear? Why cry?"  
  
The human sniffed quietly, trying to let the rest of his tears dry up before they had a chance to fall. "BecauseI feel" his face scrunched and another few disobedient tears dripped from his eyes, "_so alone,_" he finished in a croak. Now that Endri seemed to be gone, he _was_ alone—alone and empty just like so many years ago.  
  
Hidari frowned. "That is the only reason?"  
  
Kyle sniffed again. "No."  
  
"Tell me."  
  
The human let his eyes drift to the side, catching sight of Kenri rolling over to look up with concern not for his own condition but Kyle's. "I'm cryingfor you. Becausebecause of everything that's happened to bring you here. You don't deserve this. I wish I could've helped more. I wish there was something I could've done."  
  
Hidari huffed. "Youyou've done enough as it is. I want nothing more from you."  
  
Kyle's lower lip quivered. "But"  
  
"Stop it!" the ghost growled. "Stop crying! I can't deal with fucking emotional Humans! One more tear, and I'll kill you!" he threatened, clenching his fist.  
  
"Then do it!" Kyle shouted, letting as many tears as he could fall. That was it! He had had enough. "I'd rather you kill me anyway! I'm no fuckin' good! My wife left me, I can't find the rest of my family in this huge–ass fuckin' Neitherworld, I'm always havin' problems 'cause Ah'm a human, and now ma best friend is split up an' gone fer good!" he screamed, his very light country accent slipping through more pronouncedly every time he became so angry. "What the hell do Ah have t' live for?! Ah'd rather you killed me, dammit. It's a fitting death 'cause Ah wouldn't have it any other way th'n for Endri t' kill me. At least you look like him."  
  
It was true—what he said. If Kyle was ever to die, he wouldn't want old age to creep up on him or any accidents to befall him. He wanted to die no other way than Endri taking his life for him. One day, when he got a little too old for his friends, he was going to ask the ghost to do him a favor and put his heart to rest. He couldn't bear the thought of becoming old and feeble while his friends remained so youthful and energetic. That alone would have broken his heart. He would never take his own life, not after his promise to not do so many years ago, so, the only other way was to have Endri kill him humanely. Besidesit just felt right to him. For some reason, it felt right.  
  
Hidari blinked at him.  
  
"What are you waiting for?! Finish me off!" Kyle shouted, struggling with his restraints in frustration. "Fuckin' blast me t' kingdom come! Wipe me outta existence!!"  
  
Smirking, the blonde warrior relaxed into a casual position and loosed a small chuckle.  
  
"What th' fuck are you laughin' at?!" the human shrieked, face burning red with anger and deep–seeded emotional turmoil.  
  
"You knowif I kill you, you'll just become a ghost," Hidari replied matter–of–factly.  
  
Kyle stopped squirming and froze in realization. A weary, sad sigh escapted his lips, and he let his head hang. That was right. Even if he died, he would still exist. How cruel, the Universe could be. Not even in death would he be able to rest in peace. When he died, whether killed or naturally, he would be around forever, just like Endri. Maybe he should go insane now and save himself the trouble later.  
  
"Stop it, Hidari!" Kenri's voice snapped from behind. He sounded quite angry and surprisingly firm, considering he had always been whimpering in fear before. "Leave him alone! He didn't do anything to you. You don't need to be so mean."  
  
Hidari scowled, still facing Kyle. "Yes, he did. He _did_ do something to me."  
  
"What could he have possi—"  
  
"He got to me!" the angry blonde shouted, squeezing his eyes shut and jerking his body upward to stand. Like a predator prowling, he paced back and forth before the human, keeping his eyes—one red-ringed, the other normal—locked to him the entire time. "He was nice to me. He treated me like a normal person when everyone else would not. He was myfriend," the ghost spat disgustedly. "But I didn't want _any_ of that! I tried on so many occasions to get him to leave me alone—to get rid of him. But he just didn't know when to quit! Always nicealways kindallowing _you_ to grow and push me into the darkness!" Hidari shouted, whirling and pointing a finger at Kenri.  
  
The innocent ghost just sat on the floor and blinked at him.  
  
"You were just a child, nay, an _infant_ while I was fully grown and running my existance the way it should have been. But then _he_ came along and nurtured you—fed you positivity, and you spouted and grew without my ever noticing until it was too late...until you were suddenly strong enough to push me aside and lock me away." His twin turned around, showing his back to the other two males and held his arms over his chest almost protectively. His voice floated over, much softer than before. "It wasin that place. So cold And I could only watch from a distance as my good half began making the decisionsbegan doing everything I tried so hard to distance myself fromshowing emotions I had stowed away in a safe place so they couldn't be hurt. He was so quick to set free what could be hurt so easily.  
  
"I shouted, I cried out, but no one heard me. I tried to warn himtried to tell him of all the times in the past that forced me to push those emotions away the way I did, but he didn't hear. So those emotions erupted in me—let loose by _him_. And the memoriesthe memories." Hidari sank to his knees, his hands clutching to his arms in a self hug for comfort. "It was all too much to bear! They flooded me, making me see what I had tried to hide away. The painthe tormentthe liesthe horrorsthe sadnessthe lonelinessthey all hit me without warning one day. And it didn't just hit memy good sidehe felt it too, though it was only a fraction of what I felt." He paused for a moment to shiver violently.  
  
"It was likeburning fireyet stinging ice. It was almost as if everything in my past had swirled together and created a creature of unimaginable horrors. The thing attacked me full force, and I had been so weakened by Kenri's fucking sweetness that I didn't stand a chance. It practically destroyed me. It's still there too." Hidari lifted one hand and pointed a finger to his head in illustration. "And when I sat down and realized that I'll be around foreverto feel this anguish day after dayto be tormented for eternitymy last single shred of sanitymy Kenrisnapped. My good side was the only thing keeping me rooted into reality, but now that he too feels what I feelthere is no hope for either of usno hope for the ghost we both make when joined." He fell into silence, his speech finally done. Just sitting there, he held himself tightly, rocking very slightly, the most vulnerable that heartless, strong warrior had ever appeared.  
  
Kyle stared at the distressed ghost's back, mouth slightly agape and eyes unblinking. So that was it. It wasn't just one or two things in the ghost's past that pushed him over the edge. It was everything that had happened over his 643 years of existence that drove him completely insane.  
  
How utterly horrible!  
  
"'Driplease, if you wouldtell me about your past?" the human implored softly. He just wanted to know. He _needed_ to know.  
  
Kenri crawled over to where Kyle sat pinned to the wall and took a seat before him, a little off to the side. "So much happened to me," he answered, "that to tell you in one night would be impossible."  
  
"Something, though," the man pleaded, "anything."  
  
Kenri looked down to the uneven floorboards at his knees and sighed, shaking his head. "Too much," was all he said before turning and scooting over to Hidari, still huddled around himself and rocking just slightly. The tender ghost sat next to his opposite and laid an arm across his shoulders for comfort, pulling the other blonde against him and holding him gently.  
  
Kyle could only watch in amazement as, as a whole, Endri comforted himself. He waited for some time to say anything, giving the ghosts all the time they needed to pull themselves back together. It was almost sweet to see them holding one another, whispering soft words of comfort and understanding that could possibly have been the first time uttered to themselves.  
  
Maybe now would be the turning point. Maybe now, Endri could finally start on the road to becoming sane again. Perhaps all he needed to do was resolve some issues between himself and—  
  
"Get the fuck away from me, weakling!" Hidari shouted, shoving his counterpart away suddenly.  
  
Kenri fell backward and skidded a few inches, a look of surprise on his features.  
  
Kyle also looked quite surprised, not expecting such a turn of events. Perhaps he thought too soon. He should have figured things wouldn't be so easy.  
  
"How dare you touch me and say those things!" Hidari went on, standing and clenching his fists. "It will _never_ be all right—do you hear me?! _Never!_ The Mania rages inside us both! There is no coming back once it's developed! Don't you realize that?!"  
  
Kenri sat up onto his backside and lowered his head sadly, depression sagging his shoulders and making his arms hang limply into his lap. "I was just trying to help."  
  
"There is no help! There is no hope! We are both gone, never to return again—do you understand?!" The warrior ghost shook. Whether it was from rage, frustration, or shattered nerves, it was hard to tell.  
  
Kyle spoke up, trying to do _something_ to help his torn friend. "But there's always hope, Endri. You yourself told me that."  
  
Hidari spun on him, practically frothing. "Shut the hell up, human! You know nothing of our plight, so keep your filthy, obnoxious mouth _closed!_"  
  
"Stop insulting him!" Kenri snapped, looking up with a deep frown.  
  
"You shut up too!" Hidari barked, pointing a finger at him. "How bad is that that I'm sick of even my own voice?" He snickered to himself, suddenly finding what he said funny. His mirth carried louder and louder until he was actually cackling, a hand on his forehead and one on his stomach, holding himself as his hysteria ran wild. The insane laughter sounded eerily like his father's cackle, echoing through the scarcely decorated room, unable to escape the barrier around it.  
  
Loosing his balance, Hidari stumbled backward and bumped into the wall. As soon as he made contact with the crooked, block patterned wallpaper, he slid to his knees and let the hand on his forehead slip down over his eyes. His laughter still rang clear, beginning to sound as though it was wrenched from his throat one heaved breath at a time. His limbs began to shake and sweat beaded off every piece of exposed flesh as he fell forward to his elbows. Thick locks of blonde fell to pool around his face when it dipped low to the floor, and he gripped into the floorboards so hard, he dug deep grooves with his fingernails. It was almost as if he was in extreme pain, yet only laughter escaped his lips.  
  
Without warning, Hidari leapt up and slammed against Kyle, fingers digging into the human's skin at his shoulders and a snarl curling his nose as it came so close, it almost touched his friend's. "You! This is all _your_ fault! If you hadn't come into my afterlife, I might still be sane! You are to blame, you worthless son of a bitch!"  
  
Kyle's eyes were wide in fear, but as the accusations flew from his old partner's mouth, sadness replaced it, and he faced away, closing his eyes sadly. Maybe he really, _really_ should have kicked Endri out of his bathroom all those years ago and bled to death.  
  
"I won't let you do this to me! You will not turn away from me!" Hidari shrieked, reaching up to grab Kyle's face, forcefully turning it to make him look.  
  
The man opened his eyes, trying not to let the fear shine through again, but not doing a very good job.  
  
"You are to blame for my insanity. Every time you were nice to me, you tipped me that much closer to the edge. You won't get away with doing this to me, you bastard!" the ghost shouted, gripping tighter to the human's chin, just _trying_ to cause pain. "I never should have taken pity on you. I never should have even drug your sorry ass home from that bar! I should have left you there to let that guy that was picking on you beat you until you died. That way, I'd never have to put up with your misery and self pity for so long. You disgusted me then, and you disgust me now, Kyle," Hidari hissed maliciously, snarling his upper lip to let his fangs show in a primal display of dominance and power.  
  
Kyle twisted his face away, suddenly frowning. "So! Is—Is that what you thought of me—what you think of me now?"  
  
His aggressor just grinned evilly.  
  
"Wellfine!" the human shouted, masking his hurt with anger. "You bastard! I never should've done all I did for you either! Maybe I shoulda refused your help. Maybe I shoulda kicked you outta my house for good instead o' lettin' you back in. I just wanted to die then anyway, so why didn't you let me? Why did you try to save my worthless life if I don't mean jack shit to you now?! If I had known you'd turn on me like this, I'd never've agreed to take care of your insane ass! I woulda just walked away laughing, 'cause it's your _own_ fault you're like this, not mine! _You're_ the sorry excuse, not me!" Kyle spat harshly.  
  
Endri rarely ever made him so angry.  
  
"You d–don't like me?" Kenri's voice drifted over to the bickering friends, surprised at the turn they had made. "ButI thought we were best friends. You promised you'd always be there for me. You s–said you'd t–try to take care of me," he stuttered as the tears flooded into his eyes.  
  
Looking over Hidari's shoulder at him, the human felt genuine regret. He forgot Endri's good side was still sitting over there, listening to all the harsh words he flung at his counterpart. That part of his friend didn't deserve to be told those things. "I know I said that, and I'm sorry. I thought that maybe I could take care of you, but it isn't working out that way. I care about you so much, Endri, butI don't think I can do this. This is just too much for me."  
  
Hidari growled at him. "You don't realize what you're doing to us!" He pulled away and reached over to wrap a protective arm around Kenri, pulling him into his chest and almost cradling him there.  
  
The placid side of Endri began to softly cry onto his counterpart's chest, reaching up to grip shaking hands into his white shirt. His tender heart seemed broken with the thought that his best friend didn't want to be so or take care of him anymore.  
  
Growling, Hidari shouted, "You've made him cry_again!_ You're really pissing me off, Kyle!"  
  
The leather cuffs around the human's wrists tightened, almost cutting the circulation off from his hands. He struggled, not quite feeling fear, but more anger at that point. "Why so protective of him all the sudden?" he grumbled, blue eyes glaring. "I thought you'd rather beat and mutilate him."  
  
"He is me! I can do what I want with my own body, and believe me when I say his pain and heartache is mine as well!"  
  
"Then why?! Why do all this?!"  
  
"Because, you—"  
  
"_—are my friend,_" Kenri finished in a small whisper, curled up against his other half. "_I want you—_"  
  
"—to suffer for what you've done to me."  
  
Kyle looked between them as they spoke. He wasn't really surprised that they finished each other's sentences, but what _did_ intrigue him was that Hidari could say nothing affectionate to him, and Kenri could say nothing hateful to him.  
  
"And even though it sickens me to even _think_ thisI can't deny how true it is," Hidari grumbled hesitantly. "Kyle, without you—"  
  
"_—I have nothing to keep me in this world._" Kenri cried a little harder, fisting his fingers into Hidari's hair.  
  
The half ghost leaned down and nuzzled his counterpart's cheek. "_Shh _Kenri. Don't worry. We won't feel such pain much longer."  
  
Worriedly, Kyle asked, "What do you mean?"  
  
Hidari glared over at him. "As if you would give a shit! Time after time, you mercilessly break his heart! Even _I_ have respect for that! We've had enough of this torture! Without you—"  
  
"_—there is nothing—_"  
  
"—so we are going to complete what we started months ago!"  
  
Kyle struggled against his restraints. "You stupid idiot! Wiping yourself out isn't the answer!"  
  
"And what _is_ the answer?! Staying in this divided existence where I am utterly miserable?!"  
  
"You have to fight the Mania, Endri! Don't let it take you over! You're _needed_ here!"  
  
"Certainly not by you."  
  
The human squirmed madly, fighting with all his might against his binds, only succeeding in rubbing the skin of his wrists raw against the leather cuffs. In his mind, he pictured what it would be like—what the world would be like if his best friend faded away. His quick–thinking brain took only seconds to make him feel what it would be like to never see Endri again; to never spend time with him again; never talk; never laugh; never give advice; never have or be a shoulder to cry on; never share another breathtaking Neitherworld sunset.  
  
The pain, the absolute loss, was so great, his chest literally hurt.  
  
Heart–pounding realization smacked Kyle in the face with a devastating right hook. "L–Let me go, now! Now, dammit!"  
  
Hidari just growled and stared at him hatefully. "You'll just try to stop us. I'm not releasing you."  
  
"_Now!_ Let me go! I _order_ you, dammit! I _order_ you, Endri!"  
  
"You can't just order me around! I take orders from no one! And my name is _Hidari_, you son of a bitch!!"  
  
Just slightly, Kenri turned, looking out of the corner of his eye from the protective hold of his other half. Barely even moving at all, he lifted a shaking hand and twitched his fingers. Kyle's cuffs vanished, and he fell forward, free.  
  
The second his bearings returned, the human was scrambling up, throwing his arms around both halves of Endri, panting. He clutched to both of them tightly, holding the backs of their heads to make sure neither went very far from his grip. "Endri'Dri, don't you dare take yourself away from me."  
  
The angry ghost pulled away from his tenacious grip, growling. "You dare—!"  
  
Kyle ignored any harsh words that could have followed, turning his attention to Kenri. He wrapped his other arm around the upset ghost's shoulders, hugging him as though he would disappear any second. The timid blonde responded immediately, wrapping one arm around the human's waist.  
  
"No, Kenri!" Hidari hissed. "He's tricking you! To keep us from our goal! Stop!"  
  
Kenri ignored him, releasing him entirely and leaning all the way onto Kyle. The human wrapped his arms around only him and held on tight, not letting his friend get away for any reason.  
  
"Stop! He doesn't really care! H–He doesn't!" Caught between anger and desperation, Hidari trembled.  
  
Kyle lifted his eyes slowly, looking over to his disturbed friend. "I do care. I'd _never_ trick you, 'Dri."  
  
Hidari only trembled more, trying with all his might to keep from harming his best friend or throwing his arms around him. "I c–can't let myselfbelieve you! You just saidyou didn't want to be there for me! _Make up your fucking mind!!_"  
  
A hand snapped out and wrapped behind the ghost's neck, pulling him over. Kyle still cradled Kenri to his chest as he stared Hidari down with intense, blue eyes. "I have." He leaned in, grabbing the ghost's hand and lifting it to his mouth. Quickly, he sank his teeth into the pale flesh of the blonde's right palm and bit hard, drawing a steady but light stream of deep red blood.  
  
Hidari hissed a little in pain and tried to jerk away, but Kyle held on.  
  
The human lifted his own right hand to his mouth and bit into his palm. The pain stung and made tears prick his eyes, but he couldn't stop then. He had to keep going. When finally a large enough wound was bitten into his own hand, he brought Hidari's over and pressed their palms tightly together, smearing and mixing their blood between them. The ghost stared in shock and suddenly lost all will to move when he realized what was happening.  
  
Kyle laced their fingers together and held Hidari's hand against his as he reached for Kenri's right hand, never wanting to leave him out. He bit into the soft skin of his palm and felt remorse at the sharp cry of pain, but he continued on, undaunted. He pushed Kenri's hand up toward the already clasping ones and parted them only enough to get the newcomer between them.  
  
The human held the two pale hands against his own and smeared all of their blood together, bonding them all together as one—one blood, one family, brothers forever. All of their foreheads rested together, and their eyes closed in almost exhaustion, seated in the quiet room where only their breaths could be heard.  
  
Hidari was the first to pull away and open his two different eyes, griping his fingers tighter around the other two hands against his own. His two companions drifted apart as well, their eyes looking from one to the other and light smiles etching over their lips.  
  
"You're quite the daring one to do this, Kyle," Hidari grunted with slight amusement. "Bonding us as brothersI thought you would be too weak to pull it off, especially when I'm more than ready to rip your head from your shoulders."  
  
Kyle frowned but held tight to both pale hands, determined to not let go—not that time and not ever again.  
  
Hidari chuckled softly and lifted all three hands higher. Leaning in, he caught a little of the mixed blood on the tip of his tongue and swallowed it down. He hummed happily and closed his eyes in contentment.  
  
The human gulped nervously, suddenly remembering Endri's warrior side enjoyed the taste of blood. What if the ghost suddenly wanted to relieve him of _all_ of his blood. That wouldn't be pretty.  
  
"Don't be uneasy, Kyle," Hidari told him softly. "Because of your brashness, I can't hurt you. Why would I want to harm my own brother?" He smirked. "I just wanted to taste our new blood to see how good we mix together. With your blood, mine doesn't taste as stale anymore. I think that's a good thing, don't you? It has meaning."  
  
Kyle nodded, happy to see the usually very angry ghost passive.  
  
"To a Viking, this kind of pact is sacred. You may as well have been born my twin—that is how fiercely loyal I am to you now, and that's what I will consider you to be from now on." He pulled the human forward and embraced him tightly, allowing some room for Kenri to lean in and join them.  
  
Between the two sets of arms wrapping around and squeezing him tightly, he was able to get out, "As much asI like havingtwo Endri brothershugging meI'd rather onlyhave one."  
  
Both halves of Endri pulled away just a little and looked into his eyes, speaking as one, their almost identical voices melding into one singular voice that much resembled the whole Endri's speaking tone. "I have no control over my combination."  
  
"You mean you can't get back together?"  
  
"I don't know how. My separation happened subconsciously."  
  
"How did you get back together last time? In the bathroom?"  
  
That time, only Hidari answered. "When Father punched me, it set off some kind of reaction. I was thrown back together with Kenri against my will."  
  
"WellI don't want to punch you to get you back together. There must be some other way."  
  
"Hmm" Hidari hummed in thought, absently squeezing the hands he still held. "Perhaps if we—"  
  
"—put our heads together?" Kenri finished.  
  
"Or maybe—"  
  
"—put our hands together?"  
  
Their pale hands drifted away from Kyle's and touched palms. Nothing happened, even as they pushed against each other.  
  
"It's not—" Kenri began.  
  
"—working. Maybe we should—"  
  
"—try something else. How about—"  
  
"—our energy?" Hidari suggested.  
  
Upon the agreement, a swirl of misty, blue energy encased their clasping hands, emanated by both. The energies swirled and mixed, sparking brightly with the sound of wind rushing through a narrow tunnel. Rapidly, it multiplied, encircling the twins and masking out their features, too hazy to look through. The beautiful, twinkling energies flashed bright pops of light, forcing Kyle to shade his eyes against the intensity. Then, it was all gone. The brilliant light died away as well as the mists of blue, leaving a single entity in their wake.  
  
Endri's form was still and quiet, seated only a foot from his friend, who had sat directly beside the entire show, staring with silent awe, feeling the humming tingles as the abundant energies washed over his skin. It was quite the rush.  
  
With an exhaled breath, the ghost collapsed to the side into Kyle's arms, shivering and sweating as though he had a fever. His clothing remained the way they had appeared on Kenri, his white shirt shredded up the center, and several bruises forming along his cheek and exposed chest, not to mention the bleeding wounds on his lip, earlobe, and neck.  
  
Kyle blinked down at him in surprise, honestly not expecting such a thing as combining their energies to work, especially so quickly. "EEndri?"  
  
With a soft flutter, the ghost's eyes opened, and he looked around the room before finally leveling his gaze to the human's. "Kyle? Wha—?" A light chill shook his strong frame, and he looked down to see his chest exposed through a shredded shirt. Gasping, reached down to finger at the material. "What the hell? Wh–What's going on? Kyle?" He looked into his best friend's cerulean orbs, expecting answers.  
  
"You really don't remember?"  
  
"R–Remember?" Endri's green eyes scanned back and forth, unfocused, trying to think. "No, I don't remembersince I went into the bathroom."  
  
"Nothing?"  
  
"I–I rememberI wasn't supposed to look at the mirrorbut I did on accidentand thennothing!" He looked up, fear written plainly on his pale face. "Kyle, what happened to me?! Why is my shirt torn up? Why am I in your room? Why do I feel sotingly?" His body trembled with one errant aftershock of the power used to combine him—an event he had no idea he experienced. "Kyle, what's happening to me?!" Crystal tears flooded his bottom lids, and a few spilled over to trace light lines on his cheeks.  
  
"_Shh_ 'Driit'll be all right," Kyle soothed, drawing the ghost in closer and swiping his fingers down through soft, but mussed, blonde hair, cradling his friend like a child.  
  
"N–No, it won't! I'm insane! I'm _insane_, Kyle! I'm so scared! I don't want to be insane! P–Please help me! You have to!" His voice dropped down to a frightened whisper. "_You're the only one I trust now. I–I can't even trust **myself** anymore._"  
  
Kyle gazed into Endri's flushed face, watching his crystalline tears sparkle in the bad lighting of the room. He took in the ghost's mussed hair, his boyish face, his fearful look. "_'Dri_" he whispered. Slowly, trying not to startle Endri any more than he already was, the human reached up to run gentle fingers over his friend's cheek, softly wiping his thumb over the corner of one eye.  
  
Endri swallowed with some difficulty, letting his friend swipe his tears away. In the back of his mind, he noted how unthreatening Kyle was trying to act, but didn't think he needed to do so. Endri would never fear him.  
  
Kyle shook his head slowly, a smirk pulling his lips up on one side. But quickly, that uplifting motion fell when the human noted the look in his friend's eyes. It was that same look he had seen once before when Endri suddenly became aware of everything. It was a look of comprehension. And before that comprehension was lost again before he could get out what he needed to say, Kyle spoke up.  
  
"Endriremember awhile ago when you told me how much I meant to you?"  
  
The ghost nodded with several jerky shakes of his head as he tried to calm his breathing.  
  
"Well, I never got to tell you how much _you_ meant to me." The human paused for only a moment, feeling as though he needed to rush before Endri lost his concentration. "You told me you loved me. Well, I love you too. You're like my brother, 'Dri. And now, we practically are. See?" He held up his still bleeding hand to show the ghost where their blood had mixed, taking hold of his friend's hand as well and showing him the blood still smeared over his palm.  
  
Endri voiced a small gasp and widened his eyes, but said nothing. His emerald irises slowly rose to his friend's face, clearly displaying his shock. With a heavy swallow, he parted his lips, trying to make his vocal cords work. "I–Is ittrue?" he rasped out. "Brothers?"  
  
"As you say_hai_," the man answered with a nod and a smile.  
  
A strangled "_H–ohh!_" pushed past the ghost's lips in a forced exhalation, and he flung his arms around his best friend, hugging so tight, but not enough to cause harm. "Kyle, you're so wonderful! I've never known anyone like you! I've never known anyone as long as I have you! You are everything to me! I love you _so_ much!"  
  
The human hugged back just as forcefully, then slipped away to wipe some of the new tears that had trailed down Endri's cheeks. "I know. And I feel just the same." He leaned back in to hug him again, never really pegging himself as a "huggy" person before, but finding he liked to do it nonetheless. "Hey, why don't you sleep in here with me tonight? I would hate to send you to your room alone after all this."  
  
"Y–Yesplease, I want t–to stay with you," the ghost choked out.  
  
"Then come–on. But firstI need my door back."  
  
The ghost looked up, his tears beginning to clear. "D–Door?"  
  
Kyle chuckled, thumbing toward the blank wall where his door should be.  
  
"I–I did that?"  
  
"Mm–hmm."  
  
The blonde blushed sheepishly. "Oh. Sorry."  
  
Kyle stood, helping Endri up along with him. "You all right now?"  
  
"_A–Aa_I feelnormal."  
  
The human grinned. "Good. Can I have my door back?"  
  
A light smirk played over Endri's lips. "_Aa_."  
  
He lifted his hand toward the wall again, forcing his energy into it until it began glowing a soft blue. The door reappeared only seconds later to be blasted inward. An explosion set off by a bright flash of yellow blew the door to splinters, and Endri quickly twisted to shield Kyle's body with his. When most of the wooden bits had floated to the floor, Beetlejuice raced into the room and stood among the wreckage, his eyes quickly locating his son near the left wall, but not seeing Kyle anywhere.  
  
"Endri?! Kyle, are you all right?!"  
  
"Yeah, Beetle, I'm fine," the human's voice floated over from where Endri stood.  
  
Only then did the ghoul notice two pairs of legs there and not just one.  
  
"Did he hurt you?!" Beetlejuice asked, stepping closer and rounding the two men enough to see them both.  
  
"No."  
  
A look of worry etched its way over the ghost's face. "Why would I hurt him?" Endri asked, tightening his arms around his friend and hugging protectively.  
  
"'Cause you—!"  
  
"Beetle!"  
  
Beetlejuice shut his mouth upon seeing his son looking so skittish.  
  
Kyle turned his head back to look up at his friend and reached up to squeeze his shoulder reassuringly. "You justweren't yourself, 'Dri. Don't worry, it's all right, though."  
  
"I–I would never hurt younever." Endri shook his head slowly, staring almost trance–like at his friend. It seemed his awareness had left him once more, leaving him only a shell of what he once was.  
  
That thought brought a sinking sadness to Kyle, but instead of letting it get to him, he smiled and patted the ghost's shoulder. "I know. And you didn't. Don't worry, 'kay?"  
  
Endri swallowed and nodded.  
  
"Everything'sokay?" Beetlejuice asked, clearly noting his son's torn shirt, bruises, and bloody bite marks, not to mention the blood on both their hands. The human told him to jump in and take control when things upset his son, butwas his son upset? And how could he jump in when things seemed to be already settled? How could he jump in, period?  
  
Smirking, Kyle looked back over to him. "Just fine. Endri's gonna stay with me tonight, right, 'Dri?"  
  
The blonde simply nodded, not uttering anymore words or sounds.  
  
A slightly confused expression pulled at Beetlejuice's features. "Oh. Wellokay. Umso, Iguess I'llgo back to bed?" he asked, thumbing over his shoulder.  
  
Kyle only nodded, patting Endri's shoulder, keeping him placid. Suddenly, though, the ghost leaned away to look at his father.  
  
"Goodnight, Papa. Sleep well," he requested, reaching over to hug the shell–shocked ghoul.  
  
Uneasily, Beetlejuice reached up and stiffly patted Endri's back. "Y–Yeah. You too, kid." He sighed, then, and relaxed the tension from his body, hugging his son tighter. "_Love you, Endri,_" he whispered into the ghost's ear. He leaned back and gripped the boy's chin between his thumb and forefinger. "Got that?"  
  
Endri smiled and nodded, closing his eyes contentedly.  
  
"Don't you forget it either."  
  
"I won't, Papa."  
  
Beetlejuice pursed his lips, then let out a grunt of approval. He jerked his fingers away from the boy's chin, but came back to pat him on the cheek softly. "'Night, kid." He looked pointedly in Kyle's direction. "Take care of 'im, got it?" he ordered gruffly.  
  
With a smile, the human nodded. There would never be another day when he wouldn't take care of Endri, that was for certain.  
  
Beetlejuice turned and made his way out of the room, but halted in the shattered doorway. "Sorry 'bout the door." He exited snapping his fingers, and with a yellow flash, the door popped back into place, completely whole once more, as if nothing had ever happened.  
  
Kyle chuckled, very used to seeing such amazing displays by now. "Sleepy?" he asked, his head of white hair cocked to the side a fraction.  
  
"A little."  
  
The human nodded toward the bed. "Let's lay down. It'll be like a slumber partybut more manly."  
  
Chuckling, both crawled into Kyle's small bed after Endri shed his grey boots and torn shirt. The human situated himself against the wall, and the ghost laid along the other edge, leaving some breathing space between them.  
  
Endri snuggled down, wrapping one arm around the pillow beneath his head and rolling to the side, facing his friend. "Mmthis is nice. Sometimes I don't like sleeping by myself."  
  
The man chuckled. "I get like that sometimes."  
  
A few moments passed in silence as the ghost quietly regarded Kyle across the small distance between them. When he finally summed up enough courage, he asked, "Kyle?"  
  
"Mm."  
  
"You're warm, right?"  
  
The human chuckled again, cracking one eye to look over. "I tend to be."  
  
"II'm notam I?" The ghost's voice was tinged with nerves.  
  
"Nope. You're pretty warm too."  
  
Endri smiled against the softness of Kyle's pillow. "Papa said it's because I have so much energy—that it makes me warm because I have aa what did he call it?" He thought for a moment. "A 'generator' inside me?"  
  
"'Generator'?"  
  
"Mm–hmm. I never knew until Papa told me. My heart makes all my energy, and the rest of the organs in my abdomen hold it, like batteries, until I want to use it. And because it's all stored up inside me, it makes heat."  
  
Kyle smirked, thinking Endri sounded just like a little boy by the way he worded his sentences and saying "papa". Somewhere in the human's mind, he wasn't surprised, though. It was almost obvious that a small part of the ghost had never truly grown up. He still retained a piece of his innocence, and it was refreshing to see whenever it surfaced.  
  
"Then I must be pretty damn lucky."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"'Cause I have such a powerful person as my best pal and brother. Kindathrilling."  
  
The ghost only smirked in reply. He laid still, just watching and letting the rhythmic rise and fall of his friend's chest lull him into a state of drowsiness. After about the fifth time he yawned, Kyle turned toward him and smirked.  
  
"I guess we should sleep-sleep."  
  
Agreeing, Endri reached over and turned the bedside lamp off, then laid back to his original spot. After a little squirming and adjusting on both their parts, they finally settled for the night.  
  
"'Night, 'Dri."  
  
"Goodnight."  
  
They each drifted off slowly, trying to bask in the quiet serenity not found so often in the Neitherworld at night. But Kyle knew, as he slipped into slumber, that the calm and peaceful nights would come more often now. He knew that _every_ night, that peaceful atmosphere would be right there, all because he had someone beside him that was everything he never had during his lifetime: a partner, best friend, and brother. And seeing that, Kyle rested that night easier than he had in many, many years.

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Japanese / pronunciation / English Translation:  
  
shogai / sho-guy / barrier  
nani / na-nee / 


	9. Confessions of a Viking

A story about life, love, courage, and testing ultimate friendship. What happens to Beetlejuice and his friends when one of their own falls into despair and changes completely? Nothing will ever be the same. This story is an **Alternate Universe** set five years after _Dark Shadows_ in the year 2008, and does **not** follow the intended story line. I repeat, this story does **NOT** follow the intended story line of the two stories (_A New Beginning_ & _Dark Shadows_) included in my _Beetlejuice Afterlife_ series, which is why it is simply titled "Mania" and not "Beetlejuice Afterlife – Mania". If I have someone ask me why I would put this as a sequel, I'll ignore them, because, right here it says: **THIS STORY IS NOT A SEQUEL**. This story was just bursting to be written, but I have no intention to make it part of my previous series. It just happens to use that series' events as a prelude. I hope there is no confusion.

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Yay, more craziness! Hope insanity is enjoyable.  
  
Thank you for reviews as well! It's so rare that I get them, especially for this story. --

* * *

Mania  
Spencers13 – March 2003–March 2004  
R – Drama – Angst 

  
  
Chapter Nine – Confessions of A Viking  
  
"Endriii!"  
  
"Ennndriii!"  
  
"Dammit, where is he?" Kyle grumbled, wandering through the halls and rooms of BJ's Roadhouse, looking for his apparently missing best friend.  
  
It had been two days since the night they came together as brothers, and in Endri's case, the phrase could have been taken literally. Not much had changed since that incredibly emotional and intense night, but things couldn't be expected to be taken in leaps and bounds as far as Kyle was concerned. Even though he had watched his best friend almost mutilate himself—that in itself was "fucked up" in the human's mind—he thought everything went rather well.  
  
The human paused in his searches outside the coat closet in the living room. He had a brother now. True, Endri wasn't born his brother, but as far as Kyle was concerned, he practically was. He smirked, just staring at the closet door before him, getting lost in thoughts. All those years, and he never once told the ghost how much he meant to him. Being able to the other night, felt like a huge weight had been lifted from his shoulders. He felt as though he had been holding back, holding back like Endri had been for so many hundreds of years. If only the ghost had admitted a few things earlier, they might not be where they were now.  
  
Sighing, Kyle blinked back into reality. How long had he been staring at that badly painted closet door? And where was Endri? He frowned. Knowing his poor, tormented friend, he could probably be anywhere, even in that closet. Who knew his reasons? The ghost did a lot of strange shit nowadays anyway.  
  
Kyle shook his head. He was doing it again, losing himself in deep thought until he stared blankly. He was starting to act like Endri—staring at nothing for no reason. Briefly, he wondered if the Mania could be like a transmitted disease. The human certainly didn't want to catch a mental disorder, but he knew that was rather impossible.  
  
At the end of that thought, Kyle reached for the door knob and twisted, yanking the overly painted door open. "AH—!"  
  
_CRASH—BANG—TUMBLE—B–KASH—KISSSHH!!——tink–tink—tink  
_  
  
A huge pile of junk covered half of the living room floor, and Kyle was nowhere in sight.  
  
Jacques and Ginger ran in at the loud crashing and gasped, seeing the closet door still creaking open to gently bounce against the wall behind it.  
  
"Looks like Be–atlejooze's closet 'as popped open again."  
  
Ginger shook her small head. "Well, he's gonna be the one ta clean it up, the slob."  
  
Both friends turned to leave, heading back for the kitchen, when the sound of muffled groans halted them in their tracks. They turned back to the junk pile, looking just a little nervous.  
  
"Did you hear that?"  
  
"I sink zat somesing 'as gained consciousness een zat closet again."  
  
"Think we should run?"  
  
"Let us see eef eet ees friendly or no."  
  
Jacques and Ginger stared at the pile as it shifted from below. A hubcap tumbled down the trash heap revealing a trembling human hand, grasping in the air, trying to find purchase against something that would support it. The skeleton and spider gasped in surprise.  
  
"Queekly!" Jacques shouted, dashing over to begin throwing handfuls of junk to the side. Ginger joined in as best she could, picking up only what she could lift with her small arms and tossing it back over her spider body. Of course, Jacques reached Kyle first, dragging the gasping human out by the arm.  
  
"Oh, my! What were ya doin' in there, Kyle?!" Ginger shouted in her high–pitched Brooklyn accent.  
  
"I was takin' a nap! What'd it look like?" the man grumbled, panting. He rubbed a hand through his hair, trying to get out the small bits of dirt and junk hiding there. His backside sat on the wooden floor of the living room, feet flat to the floorboards, legs bent toward the ceiling at the knees, and one arm propping him upright, supporting his weight. "I'm gonna kill Beetle when I get the chance. He said he _cleaned_ that closet!"  
  
Jacques crossed his bony arms and frowned, his hollow gaze still resting on the human. "Zat ghoul! 'E ees always saying ze lies!"  
  
"Yeah," Ginger piped up, "he should be more careful with _you_ livin' here, Kyle. I mean, you _are_—" Her mouth clamped shut, and her small eyes grew wide.  
  
Kyle huffed, putting his elbows to his knees and staring at the floor between his feet. "What? Just a frail, little human?" he asked sarcastically.  
  
The two ghoulish friends looked to each other guiltily.  
  
"Never mind. Have either of you seen Endri? I can't find him."  
  
"Sorry, but we 'ave not. 'Ave you checked 'is room?" Jacques asked.  
  
"I looked everywhere. He's justgone! I'm really gettin' worried." Standing, Kyle brushed dust and dirt from his clothes, a few pieces of junk falling out of the creases in his shirt and jeans. "Thanks anyway, guys. I'd have suffocated in that shit by now."  
  
The skeleton nodded. "You are welcome."  
  
"Yeah. How long you guys visiting?"  
  
"Just for another hour or so. Beetlejuice went ta get us a pizza. Ya want some when he gets back?" Ginger asked, shooting a line of her webbing up to the ceiling and climbing up level with Jacques shoulder.  
  
Kyle licked his lips and rubbed a hand over his belly jokingly. "Mmm, Neitherworld pizza—packed full of stuff I'd rather not know from animal kingdoms I've never heard of. Thanks, guys, but I've got my own stash of food to eat. And I also have a blonde ghost to find, so if you'll excuse me." With that, he turned and strutted away toward the kitchen. He had already checked there, but felt the need to again, especially since the company of the skeleton and spider wasn't exactly desirable at the time.  
  
He liked them, he really did. They were his friends, but he knew what they thought of him—a weak, little human who couldn't take care of himself in a place like the Neitherworld. They felt sorry for him. They treated hiim as though he were a child or a delicate flower. He may have been a human, but he wasn't a child, he wasn't weak, and he was _definitely_ no flower. After all, one of the strongest ghosts in existence looked to him for almost everything, so how could he possibly be weak when he took care of that powerful ghost?  
  
Jacques and Ginger watched the human walk off knowing they had hurt his feelings. At least Ginger had with that blatant comment. They looked to each other and sighed, deciding to recline on the couch to wait for Beetlejuice's return.  
  
After a quick look around the kitchen, Kyle saw that his best friend still wasn't there. He sighed heavily, feeling worry grip his gut even tighter than before. _Where_ could he be?! The human had only turned his back for a few minutes while working on that software program on his computer, and when he looked back, Endri was gone. The ghost was just like a big kid! Kyle seriously considered getting his friend a bungee leash. He chuckled at the idea, stepping back through the kitchen toward the small hallway leading to some spare first floor bedrooms and a bath. The thought was funny, but he would never actually do it. He already knew Endri felt bad enough as it was, but to truly treat him as though the ghost could do absolutely nothing would further degrade his mind.  
  
As Kyle passed by the backdoor in the small hallway, he froze, feeling something wash over him. It was a strange feeling, like something was out of place or shouting out for his attention. It felt like his blood was humming. He had never felt anything like it before. No, that was wrong; he _had_ felt something like that before. The night everything started, months ago, when he had gone to visit Endri after not seeing him for so long, he had felt it. It was like a sixth sense, calling out to him, telling him something was wrong with his best friend. Now, he felt it again. He hoped Endri was all right!  
  
A sudden, unseen force grabbed his attention, and Kyle turned his head to the right and stared at the moth–eaten curtain covering the window on the backdoor. Following his instincts, he pulled the curtain to the side and looked out through the grungy window. Endri Juice lay on his stomach out in the backyard, his arms propped on his elbows and hands to his chin, holding his head up. Quickly, Kyle threw the door open and ran out.  
  
"'Dri! There you are! I've been looking all over!" He knelt down next to his prone friend and looked him over from top to bottom. "Are you all right?"  
  
"_Shh!_" the ghost hushed with a finger over his lips. "Look." He pointed with the same finger to a small Neitherworld Violet growing from the cracked earth of the backyard not a foot away. His green eyes never stopped staring at the purple petals.  
  
"It'sa flower," Kyle observed, not really seeing anything too special about it.  
  
"It's _growing_," Endri whispered in awe.  
  
"UhI see that. But what are you doing?"  
  
"_Watching_ it grow."  
  
Kyle blinked.  
  
"It's beautiful, isn't it?" the ghost went on, never looking away.  
  
"It's just a flower, 'Dri."  
  
"But it's _growing_."  
  
Sighing, Kyle reached over to swipe his fingers over Endri's dingy cheek, getting no response from the motion. "You're filthy, 'Dri. Have you been rolling in the dirt? When was the last time you took a bath?"  
  
"I've been watching it grow," the ghost replied, still staring with keen interest.  
  
"Well, you can watch it grow some other time. Right now, you need a bath." The human hooked his hand under Endri's upper arm and stood, trying to pull the ghost up as well.  
  
Endri got up with little resistance, but still gazed down at the little flower. "I have to go now. Keep growing!" he said cheerfully, grinning like a fool at something so simple as a flower.  
  
Kyle sighed heavily and led his friend away, but before they entered the building, the ghost turned to look back. "'Bye, beautiful flower!" he called, waving. He was ushered into the Roadhouse and the door clicked shut behind the two friends.  
  
No one was left outside to see the little Neitherworld Violet turn and wave a leaf goodbye.  
  
Inside the Roadhouse, Kyle led Endri though the kitchen and around to the stairs, walking past Jacques and Ginger still waiting for Beetlejuice on the couch.  
  
"It was so beautiful, wasn't it, Kyle?" Endri was mumbling, looking at nothing in particular as he allowed his friend to lead him wherever he pleased.  
  
"Most beautiful flower I ever saw, 'Dri. Now, come–on. You need a bath," Kyle said, holding an arm around the ghost's back and ascending the stairs with him.  
  
Jacques and Ginger stared at each other with wide eyes.  
  
"And it was growing too!" Endri's enthusiastic voice floated down the stairs. "It was so happy and healthy! Can't I please go out and look again?"  
  
"Not right now, Endri. You're dirty from laying on the ground. It'sit's bath–time now. 'Kay? Don't you wannaplay i–in the water?" Kyle stuttered. He found it very difficult to say child–like things to his grown best friend, but knew Endri wouldn't really listen to anything else. Grouchy orders didn't work on him.  
  
"Okay, then," the ghost relented, child-like sadness dripping from the words.  
  
No more speech resounded from upstairs, so Jacques and Ginger took the opportunity to jump up and dash out through the kitchen and outside. They stood around the Violet Endri had spoken of, gaping in awe.  
  
"I–It's ait's af–f–f—" Ginger stuttered.  
  
"Flowair!" Jacques finished for her, shouting in disbelief.  
  
"A–And i–i–it'sg–g—"  
  
"Groweeng!"  
  
"A _flower_ is _growin'_ on _Beetlejuice's_ property?!" Ginger practically screamed, tiny hands holding her head in exasperation.  
  
The skeleton pointed, shouting, "_Oui_! _Oui_! Eet ees!"  
  
Both friends stood rigidly, eyes staring, mouths gaping, and fingers pointing. Seconds later, they were both lying flat on the ground, unconscious.  
  
While a skeleton and spider grappled with the concept of a flower actually growing on Beetlejuice's land, Kyle and Endri stepped through the upstairs bathroom door inside the Roadhouse.  
  
The human flicked on the light switch with a quick swipe of his finger, saying, "Okay, now. Let's get you all cl—"  
  
A strangled gasp erupted from Endri's throat, and he spun around. He tried to run out through the door, but Kyle's arm was secure around his back, and he was dragged along awkwardly. Covering his eyes with a hand, the ghost tripped over the doorjamb and stumbled back into the hallway with Kyle in tow, struggling to keep his footing. The human had to lean his back against the wall between the bathroom and Endri's bedroom and pull his friend to lean against him to regain any semblance of balance.  
  
The ghost clutched to Kyle tightly, crying, "No! No!"  
  
"Endri! Endri, what the hell is wrong with you!" The human managed to get Endri to stop squirming and grunted in annoyance when he chose not to answer, deciding instead to cower against him. An irritated sigh pushed past Kyle's lips to tickle the ghost's cheek, but instead of letting himself get too frustrated, he reached up to rub a hand over Endri's hair comfortingly. "Endri, I need you to calm down, all right? Can you do that for me? I need you to calmdown," he ordered slowly and precisely.  
  
The ghost shivered. "_N–Nocan't lookc–can't see_" he whispered into the human's chest.  
  
"What?"  
  
"D–Don't make me go in there! I–I can't look! I can't see!"  
  
Kyle reached around, trying to pry Endri's hand from his eyes. "Well, if you take your hand away, you _can_ see."  
  
"No! I'm not supposed to look!"  
  
"Look at what?!" he shouted, letting his frustration get the best of him. He stopped grappling with the ghost's hands, finding his strength to be inadequate compared to his much stronger friend.  
  
"Th–The_mirror_," Endri whispered, fear dripping from his words.  
  
"The mirror?" Kyle looked back into the bathroom at the mirrored door on the medicine cabinet over the sink. "Why can't you look at the mirror?"  
  
"T–Terrible things"  
  
The human sighed with more irritation. "Endri, look at me."  
  
The ghost refused with a shake of his head, his hand still covering his eyes.  
  
"Look at me!"  
  
The loud shout made Endri jump, and he slowly pulled his hand away, making sure to not look into the bathroom.  
  
"Look at my eyes, Endri. Don't look at anything else, do you understand?"  
  
The ghost stared into Kyle's blue pools and nodded, never even blinking. He trembled, almost afraid of Kyle for him being so stern.  
  
"I want you to do exactly what I tell you; do you understand?"  
  
Endri nodded.  
  
"Endri, I need you to take a nice, deep breath—"  
  
Rapidly, the ghost sucked in a lung–full.  
  
"—slowly! Take a slow, deep breath."  
  
He obeyed.  
  
"Let all the tension in your body leave with that breath, Endri. Do you understand?"  
  
Endri nodded, exhaling slowly. Kyle could feel his friend's muscles relaxing as the air left his lungs and smiled just slightly.  
  
"Good. Now, keep staring at my eyes. You like them, don't you? You think they're like the color of the sky?"  
  
With a nod, a light smile tugged at the ghost's lips, and Kyle couldn't help to smile a little more broadly.  
  
"Now, listen to me carefully, Endri. I want you to _calmly_ tell me why you cannot look into a mirror."  
  
"Something bad happens when I look into a mirror," he blurted right away. "It's like I fall asleep and wake up somewhere different and can't remember how I got there or what I did."  
  
Kyle's eyes widened in realization.  
  
_The door to Kyle's room flew open and Endri rushed inside, slamming it back shut again and leaning against it, bracing it. Sitting up in surprise, the human stared across the dimly–lit room at the ghost panting and holding the door shut as if his afterlife depended on it.  
  
"Endri?!"  
  
The ghost in question swung his head around in surprise. He looked as though he hadn't even known his friend was there. "Ky–chan?"  
  
Frowning, Kyle reached over to click the bedside lamp on. The small light illuminated the room, but poorly, casting deep, tall shadows along the walls. "What the hell's goin' on?"  
  
Endri visibly began to panic. "I–I'm sorry! I looked in a mirror!"  
  
Kyle frowned again. "What?"  
  
"I looked in a mirror and saw him again!"  
  
"Saw who again?"  
  
"H–He's after me!"  
  
"**Who's** after you?!"  
  
"Me!"_  
  
_That **must** be it! When Endri sees his reflection in a mirror, he splits into his two opposite personalities! It makes sense, now. Both times he split, he was in the bathroomwhere the **mirror** is!_ Kyle looked to Endri as the ghost stared into his blue eyes, his green ones full of fear. _Poor guy. Well, he won't be splitting apart again while **I'm** here._  
  
"Endri, listen to me closely. Are you listening?"  
  
The ghost nodded.  
  
"I need you to stay right here and face the other end of the hall where my bedroom is. Can you do that?"  
  
Endri nodded again, shakily.  
  
"I need to leave you here so I can cover up the mirror, okay?"  
  
"N–No, don't leave me!" the ghost shouted, digging his fingers into the man's red plaid shirt.  
  
"Endri," Kyle grumbled, reprimanding. "Do you want to see the mirror?"  
  
"No!"  
  
"Then, I have to go cover it up. But you need to stay right here and face my bedroom so you won't look in and see it by accident, all right? Do you understand what I'm saying?"  
  
Shakily, Endri nodded, his lavender tongue slipping out to wet his lips.  
  
"Good. Now, turn and look at my door. I'll come get you in just a moment. All right?"  
  
The ghost nodded in agreement again, swallowing. He slowly turned and locked his eyes to Kyle's door.  
  
"Now, stay right there. I'll be right back," the man said soothingly, laying a gentle hand to Endri's shoulder and sliding it off as he turned and quickly headed into the bathroom. He searched with his eyes for something to cover the mirror and saw the hand towel on the towel rod next to the sink. Snatching it up, he opened the mirrored door on the medicine cabinet and draped the towel along the top. He closed it all up and inspected his handiwork. The towel covered the surface of the mirror nicely, not even a corner showing. Quickly, Kyle headed back out and put a hand to Endri's shoulder again.  
  
"Okay, 'Dri. Everything's fixed. You can come in with me now."  
  
The ghost shook his head, standing rigid. "N–No, please"  
  
Frustration pushed through Kyle's lips in the form of a sigh again, and he frowned at his friend's back. "Endri, look at me."  
  
The ghost obeyed, turning slowly to lock eyes with the human again.  
  
"Would I ever lie to you?"  
  
Endri shook his head.  
  
"Then believe me when I tell you it is _safe_ to go into the bathroom. You can't see the mirror anymore."  
  
Green eyes quickly darted to the bathroom door and back. "No?"  
  
"No."  
  
The ghost took a deep breath. "O–Okay. I believe you, Kyle."  
  
The man smiled. _Finally._ "Okay, let's go get a bath, huh?  
  
Endri nodded with a light smile and allowed Kyle to lead him into the bathroom. He took notice to the towel covering the mirror and smiled more broadly at his friend. The human smiled back and motioned for Endri to sit on the toilet. He turned and bent to start the bath water, twisting the squeaky faucets to the "perfect temperature" position and waiting for the rust to clear from the thick flow before plugging up the drain. Letting the water run, Kyle turned back to his friend and helped to remove his dingy clothes, throwing each item into the hamper in the corner. He took off his own shirt and tossed it into the hamper as well, saving the time of rolling the sleeves and possibly getting the front wet.  
  
While the water continued to fill the tub to a desirable level, Kyle knelt before Endri and reached up to his face. "Okay, let me check your eyes."  
  
The ghost obediently held still while his friend lifted his eyelids to see the irises better. They still sparkled like always, but those red rings still circled around the entire iris and pupil—the sign of the Mania.  
  
Kyle sighed at the lack of change in his friend and backed away to turn off the water. "'Kay, bath time, 'Dri. In ya go," he coaxed, his voice not its usual cheerfulness.  
  
Stepping into the hot water, Endri sat down with a sigh and hunched his body forward, soaking in the relaxing steam. Kyle smirked, picking up an old plastic cup sitting next to the tub and dunking it in the water to fill it. Leaning over the rim, he poured the water over the ghost's head to get his long hair wet. The human washed the blonde locks slowly and thoroughly, massaging Endri's scalp beneath, relaxing him and building up a thick lather at the same time. He used the cup to pour more water over the ghost's head to wash out the shampoo, then pulled out a washcloth from the cabinet beside the tub and wetted it. After rubbing a bar of soap over the cloth, he ran it over Endri's cheeks, nose, forehead, and ears, washing away the grime from outside and about two weeks worth of build up. Since the ghost was so afraid of looking into the mirror, he had avoided the bathroom as much as possible, consequently avoiding taking a bath as well.  
  
Again, Kyle dunked the cup under the water to fill it. "Close your eyes," he ordered gently. The ghost did as told, and the human poured the water over his face to wash away the soap. He pulled another dry washcloth from the cabinet and dabbed it over his friend's eyes to dry them, allowing Endri to open them again. Gently, Kyle ran the soapy washcloth down over the ghost's corded neck and broad shoulders.  
  
As the human washed Endri's chest, the ghost looked up into his friend's face with a frown. "Kyle?"  
  
"Mm?"  
  
"Why am I in the bath again?"  
  
Kyle froze. Slowly, he drew away and let the cloth slip from his limp fingers to drop into the soapy water, leaning his elbows on the rim of the tub and bowing his head way down between his shoulders sadly.  
  
"Kyle?" Endri asked, tilting his head, trying to see the man's face. "What's wrong?"  
  
The human sniffed and reached up to swipe a wet hand over his own forehead and white hair.  
  
"You're upset," the ghost observed, sadness pervading his voice. "Was it something I said?" He tilted his head and bobbed it around, trying to look for the answer in his friend's face, still hidden. "Are you mad at me?"  
  
Kyle took a steadying breath and looked up, tears swimming in his blue eyes. "No, no, 'Dri. I'm not mad at you." He sniffed again and opened his mouth to release a pent breath. One tear dripped into the bath water as he whispered, "_I'm not mad._"  
  
"Thenwhy are you crying?" Endri asked again, looking utterly innocent and pure, like a small boy.  
  
Kyle dipped his head back down for another second, sniffing again. He looked up as more tears fell and reached out, slowly brushing the bangs clinging to Endri's forehead away. "It's just that" the human took a breath, his lips trembling, "s–sometimes_miss you,_" he whispered.  
  
The ghost tilted his head a bit to the side in question. "ButI'm right here."  
  
Kyle took a whimpering sigh. "I know you are." He nodded slowly, the trembling in his lips continuing. "_I know._"  
  
Leaning up, Endri hugged Kyle tight, and the human didn't even notice he was getting wet.  
  
"_Kyle?_" the ghost's voice whispered at his friend's ear.  
  
"_Yeah?_" Kyle whispered back.  
  
"_I'm not blind. I know you're angry at mefor being this way._"  
  
The human took a steadying breath and caressed the back of Endri's head. "_No, 'Dri. I'm not angry. It's just thatI get a little frustrated. That's all._"  
  
"_You wish I was normal again, don't you?_"  
  
Kyle bit his lip and buried his face into wet, blonde hair. "_Does that make me a bad person?_" he practically whimpered.  
  
Endri paused before replying. "_If it does, then I'm a bad person too._"  
  
His friend immediately hugged tighter. "_No, no, no, Endri. You're not bad. You could **never** be._"  
  
The ghost pulled away slowly to sit back in the tub. Dipping his hands below the water, he stared into the depths, murky from the soap, shampoo, and dirt. "Thatisn't true."  
  
"What do you mean?" Kyle leaned back on the rim, watching his friend closely.  
  
"There was a time when I was a horrible person. You would never have recognized me."  
  
A look of concern etched its way onto the human's features. "When was this?"  
  
"A long" Endri's voice shook, "l–long time ago." He huffed for a steady breath, and Kyle offered a hand to his shoulder for support. The ghost calmed for a minute, then waved the hand away with a wary smile. "I'm all right."  
  
The human remained quiet for a time, reaching into the water to find the washcloth and dunk it in and out slowly, absently. "Can you tell me why you think you were horrible?"  
  
"I don't _think_ I was, I _know_ I was. But, I guess you have to understand where I came from." Pausing for a moment to collect his thoughts, Endri then took a steadying breath before beginning. "I was raised to think I was human by Humans for the first eight years of my existence. During then, they taught me everything about fighting and killing and hunting so I could survive in our harsh world and grow into a man to carry on the Viking bloodline. We didn't know our village was the very lasthidden in the woods in the New World.  
  
"But that doesn't matter. What mattered was that when I discovered I was a ghostthat I couldn't be killedbecame unstoppablelike a madman. When I fought in battles, it was as if I was invincible. 'Endriethi the Viking', they called me." He swallowed with difficulty. "I–II killed, Kyle."  
  
The human sat in silence, watching Endri the entire time, letting no emotions or expressions lay claim to his features. Truth be told, he had heard that confession once before, years ago. But at the time, he didn't know the ghost _was_ a ghost, and he had no clue Endri had a dementia building. But he had seen the premise of it. His friend, after going almost off the deep end in anger and confessions, repressed an entire conversation to the point of forgetting it completely. If only Kyle had known.  
  
"I killed so many. H–Hundreds. _Thousands._ And do you know what the sick part is?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"II _enjoyed_ it. I _loved_ it. The feeling of warm, human blood flowing over my own handsthrilled me." The ghost lifted his hand from the water, allowing the warm liquid to trickle back into the tub from between his fingers. He fisted his hand slowly, letting a few final drops of water to fall back to the bath from between the clenched digits. "I even loved the _taste_ of it. Often, I would" He took a breath and stopped, dropping his hand back into the water.  
  
"What? What did you do?" That was something new. He didn't remember his friend confessing something quite like that.  
  
Endri shook his head. "You would never think of me the same way again."  
  
Kyle laid a hand to his friend's forearm where it met the water. "Please?"  
  
Sighing, the ghost still hesitated, but relented at the request of his friend. "Fine. I suppose I'll just say it." He paused for a moment anyway, letting the silence stretch for long seconds. "I would take humans, bite into them, slice them open, pierce their skin in any way just so I could put my mouth on them and drink their hot blood down like a fine wine, Kyle. It was because of _me_ that a huge fear of vampires started in various places, you know. An incredibly pale man that apparently lived off of death and the blood of others. I–It was like I couldn't get enough! It tasted so good! It smelled so sweet! And when I swallowed it, it was like tasting life. It was the only waythe closest I could get to feeling what life was like. Having hot blood inside meby any meansmade me feel soalive." His eyes narrowed. "And they couldn't stop me either. I could bef–filled with arrows, daggers, swords, and bullets, but I would still not stop."  
  
Concern pulled at Kyle's brows, but no more emotion slipped through. "Wouldn't that hurt?"  
  
The ghost nodded. "Oh, yes. I felt the pain from every blow, every cut, every puncture." He ran his hands over his own upper arms in almost a self hug. "_I felt everything._" He wiped a trembling, wet hand over his face, and changed that subject a little too quickly. "When I wasn't in wars, I was doing what Vikings did best: pillaging villages and towns, killing the men and whoever else stood in my way. Do you know why I have so much money whenever I need it, Kyle?"  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because I've amassed great, great wealth from almost 160 years of pillaging. Every time I use that moneyI think of all the blood still staining it. Sometimesit makes me so sick." Endri stared into the water, unable to make eye contact any longer. "But there is _one_ thing that I'm proud of."  
  
"What's that, 'Dri?" Kyle asked, voice barely showing any inflexion.  
  
"No matter what happened, I never _ever_ raped a single woman. The men who taught me about fighting, killing, and pillaging, also taught me that it was my right to take _whatever_ I wanted. Even though I felt the needI never gave in. Something inside told me that using women like that would only result in my being weak, and I could _never_ allow myself to have a weaknessnot afterwhat happened."  
  
Kyle frowned a little, curious. "What do you mean—after what happened?" Endri's past seemed confusing at times.  
  
The ghost shrunk down into himself a little. It was as if he was suddenly wary of speaking.  
  
"After _what_ happened, 'Dri?"  
  
He swallowed heavily. "After_she_ left me."  
  
"_She_ who?"  
  
"The one I gave my heart tothe first one"  
  
Kyle suddenly remembered so long ago when Endri described his first love and how she ran away from him when he tried to be honest and reveal to her what he truly was. He cleared his throat quietly. "Wellsure, she left ya, 'Dri, but"  
  
"She didn't just leave meshe _ran_ away After time and again confessing her undying love to me. I was only twelve and she tore my heart out and crushed it in her hand right in front of my eyes, laughinigno, _screaming_ the whole time! She was the first to ever destroy meand after thatno Human was safe from my angermy sword. They all would pay for what she did to me! She was humanshe destroyed meso all Humans could potentially do the same. I wouldn't take that risk. Besidesthey would all die eventually. Why not I hasten things along and put them out of their misery? I-It was fun anyway." He licked his dry lips and swallowed. "I never forgave hernever forgave any of them. Sh-Sheshe was the first human II ever slayed." He fell into silence, staring blankly into the dirty bathwater, bringing his anger under control after recounting such things.  
  
Dunking the washcloth a few more times, Kyle again reached for the soap. "So, what changed you?"  
  
Endri smiled down into the water. "_Nippon_."  
  
"Nipple on what?" the human asked, quirking a white eyebrow.  
  
Laughing, the ghost shook his head. "No, _Nippon_. Japan. I found my way there by accident. It was just after a great war in China, and I was so injured, I could barely move. I was able to launch a small boat into the ocean and just let myself be carried away. I didn't care where I ended up, just so long as I could heal my injuries in peace.  
  
"When my boat washed ashore, and I first opened my eyes to see where I had landed, I was in awe. The land, the people, everything, humbled me...it took a while, but it did. It all made me think differently. I looked back at what I had done in the past and felt shame for it. I swore, never again would I kill another human being unless it was to preserve other's lives. I would never take what was not given to me. I was no longer consumed by greed and arrogance. I was changed, and could never, _would_ never go back to how things were before." He chuckled softly. "And that was the _very_ _abridged_ version of it."  
  
Endri looked over to Kyle, watching the man just lathering the washcloth with soap. "Kyle?"  
  
The human looked up, putting the soap back in its caddy. "Mm?"  
  
Looking back down into the water, the ghost realized it was getting cooler, but didn't let it weigh as heavily on his mind as his next question. "Areare you afraid of me?"  
  
Kyle remained silent. He leaned in to rub the soapy cloth over Endri's chest and back again, getting what he missed the last time.  
  
"You are."  
  
"First of all, if I was afraid of you, I wouldn't still be bathing you. Secondly" he leaned in close, making sure the ghost saw his sincerity, "When I met you, you weren't 'Endriethi the Viking', you were 'Endri, the kindhearted man that helped me through my troubles and became my best friend'."  
  
The ghost blinked. "Wow. That's a long title."  
  
Kyle chuckled. "And nowyou're even more different. We're brothers now. And no matter what you've done in the past or will do in the futureI still care about you. Nothing will change that."  
  
Endri grinned widely and fidgeted with his hands in the water, unsure of what to do with himself.  
  
"What say we finish this bath, hm? Water's gettin' cold."  
  
The blonde continued to smile and nodded, and Kyle ran the washcloth over his pale arms. The human's hand along with the cloth traveled down either side of the ghost's hips, and he lifted Endri's left leg into the air when he arrived there. He washed down to the tips of his pale toes and back up, then repeated for the right leg.  
  
Once Kyle was finished, he dropped the washcloth into the water and rinsed his hands of the soapy suds before giving his friend a reassuring smile. "Okay, let's wash you off, then we'll be done. 'Kay?"  
  
Endri nodded and sat, waiting for Kyle to use the old cup to pour water over his back and chest and down his legs.  
  
"Swish yer butt around, an' stand up then."  
  
Obeying, the ghost splashed the rest of the suds from his body and stood as Kyle let the dirty water out of the tub. The human stood and reached for a towel in the cabinet by the door, pulling out a fluffy white one and draping it over Endri's head.  
  
"I think you can do this."  
  
Reaching up, the ghost scrubbed the towel through his hair and over his face, then dried the rest of his body as Kyle searched out a comb. The human took his friend's towel and draped it over the toilet to sit on.  
  
"Have a seat. Your hairstylist is ready to perform," he joked, twiddling the comb through his fingers.  
  
Endri chuckled and stepped from the tub, sitting where his friend had indicated. Kyle ran the comb through his hair, catching some but not many knots.  
  
"Manghosts need a lot of pampering," he mumbled, chuckling at his own comment.  
  
Endri loosed a small laugh as well. "If you want me to stay soft and fresh, pamper me."  
  
Both laughed aloud, feeling much better in the lighter mood, a welcome contrast to a few minutes ago.  
  
When that was done and the ghost's hair was combed completely straight, the human backed away and observed his handiwork. Endri was clean and neatly groomed. That was good enough for him.  
  
With a wave of his hand, Kyle indicated the ghost should follow him from the bathroom, and he did so, picking up his towel and securing it around his waist. They made their way into his bedroom where the human retrieved a few garments for him to wear. Endri donned them himself, refusing help that time, claiming with an almost angry tone that he could "do it himself".  
  
His moods still swung errantly, but they weren't quite so bad anymore. And Kyle was very thankful for that. His brother seemed to be improving. He just hoped Endri would _continue_ to improve.

* * *

Japanese / pronunciation / English Translation:  
  
Nippon / neep-pon / Japan  
  
Next...Visitations... 


	10. Out of the Past

A story about life, love, courage, and testing ultimate friendship. What happens to Beetlejuice and his friends when one of their own falls into despair and changes completely? Nothing will ever be the same. This story is an **Alternate Universe** set five years after _Dark Shadows_ in the year 2008, and does **not** follow the intended story line. I repeat, this story does **NOT** follow the intended story line of the two stories (_A New Beginning_ & _Dark Shadows_) included in my _Beetlejuice Afterlife_ series, which is why it is simply titled "Mania" and not "Beetlejuice Afterlife – Mania". If I have someone ask me why I would put this as a sequel, I'll ignore them, because, right here it says: **THIS STORY IS NOT A SEQUEL**. This story was just bursting to be written, but I have no intention to make it part of my previous series. It just happens to use that series' events as a prelude. I hope there is no confusion.

* * *

Thank you Maya and Wanda for your reviews. They mean muchos.  
  
I particularly like this chapter, and I hope you will too.  
  
WARNING!!! Graphic detail of nasty fleshy stuff is in this chapter!! If you don't like gore, please spead read past it or something.  
  
Enjoy. ;

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Mania  
Spencers13 – March 2003–March 2004  
R – Drama – Angst 

  
  
Chapter Ten – Out of the Past  
  
"_Daddy!_" Faygo yelled at the top of her lungs, leaping into her father's arms for a huge bear hug.  
  
"F–Faygo? What are you doin' here?" Kyle asked, surprised, reaching up to support his daughter as her feet had left the floor.  
  
The joyful woman pulled away, an obvious fake frown upon her young face. "It's been almost three months since I've seen you last, and you ask what I'm doing here?!" She batted at his arm playfully.  
  
Kyle chuckled, fake–rubbing his arm. "Sorry. Well, how's things?"  
  
"Good, good!" Faygo held her hands behind her back and swung back and forth innocently. "I got that job I've been after finally!"  
  
"The internship at the Neitherworld Check–in Station?!"  
  
"Yeeeup!" She giggled, a huge grin spreading her full lips wide.  
  
Kyle picked his daughter up and twirled her in a circle. "Way to go, sweetheart! I knew you were good enough to get that job! Of course, you are _my_ little girl, so such things should come naturally for you." He winked.  
  
Faygo just laughed and hugged her father. "So, tell me, Daddy."  
  
"Tell ya what, honey?"  
  
"Is it true?"  
  
"Is what true?"  
  
"You know" she leaned in to almost whisper, "about you and Uncle 'Dri."  
  
Kyle stared at her for a moment, almost not registering the question, but as soon as he did, a frown was all over his face. "Who told you something like that?"  
  
"No one!" she retorted quickly, shrugging her shoulders high and lifting her hands to wave noncommittally.  
  
He crossed his arms and gave his daughter "the eye".  
  
"Okay, okay, Mom did," she relented all too quickly.  
  
A repressed growl hung in Kyle's throat, and he closed his eyes. "And what _else_ did your mother tell you?"  
  
"Um" She bit her lip and scuffed her small sneaker against the floor.  
  
"Come–on, out with it. I probably know it all anyway. I just want to know what _version_ she told you."  
  
Faygo sighed and relented again. "Sheshe told me you left her for Uncle 'Dri. And that you only stayed with her until you could find the right opportunity to leave. She said she figured you only stayed because of me, and that you wereusing her in the meantime." A saddened look passed over her soft features.  
  
The growl that he had been repressing couldn't be held at bay after such a revelation, and Faygo looked up at the odd sound rumbling from her father's throat.  
  
"Now that is a _complete_ lie! First of all, _she_ left _me!_ Secondly, _she_ used _me_ while she ran off with someone else every day. And thirdly," he quieted his shouting voice and stepped closer to hug his daughter tenderly, "I stayed with my family because I loved everyone in it. I never tried to leave anyone, Faygo, especially not you. I love you so much, sweetheart, and no matter how old you get, you'll still be my little girl."  
  
The young ghost buried her face into her father's chest and clung tightly. "I love you, Daddy. I knew you'd never leave us on purpose. I realized Mom was lying to me whenever she told me about how 'cruel' you were to her. And I saw the signs for months before it happened."  
  
"What signs?"  
  
"Mom would always ask me what you'd been doing while she was gone. I thought she was just interested at first, but then I realizedshe was keeping tabs on you through me. She wanted to make sure you stayed home. I guess it was 'cause she didn't want anyone else to meet you and find out you were still human. I–uh" she paused for a moment, "I know about 'Humans', Daddy."  
  
Kyle grunted, his lips pulling into a thin line.  
  
"I know she was keeping you to herself too. That was obvious. And I also knewh–him."  
  
He scowled. "You shouldn't have to go through all of this, Faygo. This is all my fault." A head of white hair hung, and his body turned to the side. "If I had just left well enough aloneif I had just stayed in the Real World, none of this would ever have happened. You may not've had me, but at least you wouldn't have _this_."  
  
Faygo stepped around into his line of sight to be sure she had his attention. "No, don't say that, Daddy. Even if you had stayed in the Real World, Mom would still have left you. I knew about that guy ever since the beginning. She _told_ me about him, even. She said that we should probably move on because it would be a long time before we saw you again. She said things change. But I thought she was done with him after you came back."  
  
Kyle huffed, rolling his eyes slightly. "_Humph_apparently not. Things sure do change. People apparently change too, according to her."  
  
"Please don't be too upset, Daddy. I'm not." She smiled lightly. "Besides. Things happen for a reason, didn't you know that?"  
  
A smirk couldn't help forming on the human's lips. "YeahI know."  
  
Faygo leaned close, saying coyly, "Sois it true?"  
  
Her father leaned in as well. "Is what true?"  
  
"Daddy!" She laughed, batting his arm.  
  
"_Ha–ha!_ I'm just teasing."  
  
"Weeeeell?!" Delicate, purple eyebrows raised.  
  
Kyle's white eyebrows pulled into a frown. "We are _not_ together. Pepper jumps to way too many conclusions, and so does everybody else. All these accusations are really starting to piss me off," he grunted, sounding very annoyed. "Doesn't anyone get it?"  
  
Faygo shrunk into herself, feeling like she was being reprimanded, but knowing she wasn't. Her father seemed to have a lot of pent up anger about such accusations. Apparently, he _hated_ having his manhood questioned in such a way.  
  
"Why is it that two guys can't be best friends, hug, hang out together all the time, or even live with each other without _everybody_ thinking they're sleeping together?! Hell, I might as _well_ start fuckin' him if everybody thinks I already am!" He took a deep, calming breath, and his features softened. "Sorry, Faygo, I—"  
  
"No, Daddy. It's okay. I'd be frustrated too."  
  
Kyle smiled and nodded, glad she understood.  
  
"Kyle?"  
  
Father and daughter looked to their side toward the staircase to see Endri descending in only a pair of blue–grey sleep pants and tank top. He looked very tired as he rubbed at his eyes and took shaky steps as he walked over to the two.  
  
"I wokeand couldn't find you. I thought you disappeared," he said to Kyle, stepping right up to him, wrapping his arms around him, and burying his face into white hair for comfort.  
  
The human smiled and hugged back, petting the ghost's mussed hair. "S'okay, 'Dri. I'm right here. I wouldn't disappear without telling you first, ya know that."  
  
"Mm."  
  
Looking over to the side, Kyle noticed his daughter staring and blushing at their hug and frowned, rolling his eyes. Even his _daughter_ thought they were more than friends. It disappointed him to say the least. Was _everyone's_ mind in the gutter?  
  
"Hey, 'Dri, look who's come to visit," the human spoke up, gesturing to his daughter only feet away.  
  
Endri pulled back and looked over, just then noticing the young, purple–haired ghost. "Faygo? When did you show up?"  
  
A confused look was tossed in Kyle's direction, but he subtly waved for her to pay it no mind. "Uhwell, I just thought I'd drop by to see you and Daddy. You lookgood, Uncle 'Dri."  
  
"And you are still beautiful as ever." The tall blonde smiled roguishly, making a bright red hue rise over Faygo's cheeks and a giggle spill from her full lips.  
  
Kyle poked his friend in his side. "Hey, now, that's my _daughter_ you're talkin' to," he scolded, but couldn't help his growing smirk.  
  
Endri drew into himself, looking sheepish. "I know. I was only being nice."  
  
Faygo giggled and blushed more, unable to keep it in.  
  
Shaking his head, the human leaned close to his friend. "All right, let's see your eyes so you'll keep 'em off my daughter."  
  
The ghost obediently leaned down a bit, letting Kyle lift his upper eyelid to check each iris separately. It seemed like a routine to Faygo.  
  
"Mm You still haven't been sleeping much, have you?" The human tried to not sound reprimanding.  
  
Endri looked down as if being scolded anyway, and his friend sighed wearily at the sight.  
  
"It's okay, 'Dri. I know you can't help it. I justI wish you'd _try_, ya know?"  
  
"I do. I try, Kyle, every night. ButI–I can't." He bit his lip and fidgeted, starting to become upset.  
  
"_Shh_ It's okay, don't worry about it right now. 'Kay, 'Dri?" Kyle suggested, holding the ghost by his shoulders while he nodded slowly, agreeing. "Good. Now, why don't you go and wait in the kitchen. I'll make us some lunch since you stayed in bed late today."  
  
Smiling, Endri turned and headed for the kitchen.  
  
"Hold it!"  
  
He stopped and turned.  
  
"Aren't you forgetting something?" Kyle asked, crossing his arms and nodding toward his daughter.  
  
"Oh!" Endri quickly stepped back over and hugged Faygo tightly, kissing her cheek. "_Sayonara_, Faygo. Have a lovely day _ne_?"  
  
She giggled. "I will, Uncle 'Dri. Say, what's my Japanese word for this time?"  
  
Looking to the ceiling in thought, he said, "Today, your word is'_ningen_'."  
  
"_Ningen_," the girl repeated to get the pronunciation. "Okay, give me context."  
  
Endri thought with a forefinger to his bottom lip. "Hmm I'll just give you a general hint. How about: Kyle is a _ningen_."  
  
Faygo repeated the phrase, looking thoughtful. "Ummmperson?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Umman?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Uh"  
  
"Come–on, Faygo, even _I_ know that word." Kyle laughed at his only daughter.  
  
"Yeah, but I bet Uncle 'Dri _told_ you! I haveta _guess_ it!"  
  
Endri chuckled for a moment before suddenly saying, "Faygo, why don't you just tell me your answer the next time you stop by? Kyle told me to go to the kitchen, so I have to go now."  
  
The young ghost gave her father a look which he just waved off again. "Sure, Uncle 'Dri. Umhave fun in the kitchen."  
  
He just smiled and hugged her again. "Take care, and if you ever need anything, call."  
  
"I will, Uncle 'Dri."  
  
With that, he turned and left.  
  
Kyle and Faygo waited until he was gone to begin speaking again.  
  
"UmDaddy?"  
  
The human rubbed his temples, sighing. "He does that occasionally now, sweetheart. It isn't as bad as it used to be, but he still spaces out once in a while."  
  
"So he really hasn't gotten much better?"  
  
"Not reallypoor guy. I feel so bad for him sometimes, and other times I just get so frustrated with him. I know he tries, but" he sighed again, "SometimesI just wish I could have my old Endri back. The Endri that didn't stare at the wall for an hour and think only a minute went by."  
  
"He does that?"  
  
Kyle nodded. "And a lot of other shit too."  
  
"I had no idea he was so bad."  
  
"Oh, he's a lot better than he used to be. You should have seen him when this all started out." He shook his head sadly. "He was a real mess."  
  
"Ijust can't imagine."  
  
"It's hard to. We all survived, barely at times, but we still made it. And he _does_ keep getting better. It's just a slow process."  
  
"Question."  
  
"Mm?"  
  
"What made you decide to be his caretaker? I mean shouldn't Uncle BJ be doing that kind of thing?"  
  
The human stared at the kitchen doorway for a moment, pooling the answer to his daughter's question. Honestly, he was a bit fuzzy as to why he did it himself. Maybe if he answered Faygo, he would also understand. But then again, there was only one answer to give, and he had known it all along.  
  
"At that timeI was really confused. Your mom left me. I was alone. I thought I didn't have anything anymore. ButEndri was always right there, just like he always had been. I realized that no matter where I was or what I was doing, I could always fall back on 'Dri. No matter what happened, he was there to support me at every major turn of my life since we met. And then I remembered a long time ago, not long after I lost you and your mom. I was really depressed, ya know. Andwell, Endri kinda gave me a swift kick in the ass and put my head back on straight. Then he promised he'd always be there for when I needed him. And he's been true to his word ever since. Wellonce we kinda had a little misunderstanding about it, but"  
  
"What happened, Daddy?" Faygo asked, voice quiet.  
  
Kyle shook his head, still staring at the kitchen door. "Nah, it was a long time ago."  
  
"What?"  
  
Sighing, he relented and finally dropped his eyes from the door to the rotting floorboards at his feet. "Wellone time, I kinda got mad. I thought he was treating me unfairly, and it pissed me off. So, Isaid a few things I shouldn't haveand we almost ended up parting ways. Actually, we did. For about three months, I never saw him. Then one day, he shows up at my door. We kinda talkedworked out misunderstandingsand then things were okay. But ever since then, he was a lot more open with me, and he's kept every one of his promises." He paused a moment, letting his explanation settle between the both of them. "So when I was debating over this whole 'caretaker' thing, I remembered everything Endri's always done for me, and I thought, 'Where is my gratitude?'"  
  
Faygo smiled warmly. "I think I understand. Wow, that's great, Dad. I've never seen anyone so determined to keep their word."  
  
Kyle chuckled and shook his head lightly. "I'm sure if you ever promise someone you care about something, you'd go to the extreme to fulfil it too." He turned a grin to his daughter. "It runs in the family, ya know. Like your hair."  
  
Blinking, Faygo looked up at her father's hair, then fingered her own. "I never thought about that! I have a puff like you!" she realized, pulling a little on the tuft of red bangs fluffing from her forehead.  
  
"It used to be blonde, though." He looked almost sad as he uttered the thought.  
  
The young ghost just smiled again. "I know." Her amethyst eyes fell away from his, unable to keep eye contact as she changed the subject, saying, "If you don't mind me asking something personal?"  
  
"What's that?"  
  
"Have you been seeing anyone since Mom?"  
  
Kyle stared off at nothing for a minute, just letting his mind drift. Finally, he said, "No, honey. Honestly, I haven't had much time for a personal life now that I'm taking care of Endri. He'squite the handful." He sighed. "But, ya knowI wouldn't trade 'im for anything." Smirking, he wiggled a finger in his daughter's direction. "And now, when you call him 'Uncle 'Dri', you should know that he pretty much is."  
  
A curious frown drifted over Faygo's visage. "What do you mean?"  
  
Holding his right hand out, Kyle displayed his scabbing bite wound—his entire palm bruised.  
  
"What happened?!" she shouted in worry, touching the purple flesh tenderly.  
  
"Ah, 's just a bite. Doesn't hurt," he said nonchalantly, shrugging. "Anyway, he's got one too. We kindacame to an understanding, so to speak."  
  
"Wow! You did one of those mix-the-blood-together things?" Faygo shouted, seemingly very excited over it.  
  
"Well, yeah."  
  
"That's awesome, Dad! I didn't think you were so cool. Wow, blood brothers! Kick ass!"  
  
Kyle laughed at her enthusiasm. "Yep. Kick ass."  
  
His daughter laughed along with him for a bit, enjoying the small bit of quality time she rarely had with her father. When she glanced at the skull clock on the wall, however, she knew that short time was swiftly coming to an end. "WellI guess it's time for me to get going." But even though she said it, she was still hesitant about leaving yet.  
  
A more serious disposition fell over Kyle, and he took his daughter's shoulders in hand. "Faygo, I want you to know something before you run off. I want you to know that if things had happened differently, I would still be with your mother. I loved her, I really did. But she chose her own path, and left me to find mine. One thing that you should never forget, honey, but never hope to see very often, is that people change. Things change. Times change. It's lifeor afterlife, in your case. _Heh_." Sadness drew his lips into a thin line, and he pulled Faygo into a hug. "You shouldn't have had to go through the things you did. You're still way too young for this_any_ of this to be happening to you. I wish I could've protected you and your mom better while you were still alive." He buried his face in her colorful hair, trying to apologize in every way possible.  
  
Faygo hugged tightly. "It's okay, Daddy. You can't blame yourself. And besides, you and Uncle 'Dri destroyed the thing that killed us. That's more than enough for me."  
  
Kyle just huffed. "Endri did most of the work."  
  
"But _you_ put it in that field that held it still until he could call the sandworms. And _you_ were the one that pushed the button to release it and let the worms eat it."  
  
"Hmmgot a point there, I guess," he admitted, smiling lightly.  
  
Faygo grinned. "Ya know what, Daddy?"  
  
"What's that, sweetheart?"  
  
"Love you."  
  
"_Hn–hn_love you too." He kissed his daughter's forehead tenderly.  
  
"I bet Uncle 'Dri is sitting in there waiting for some lunch. And I have to head along; I need to get a few new outfits for my new job," she said, grinning wolfishly.  
  
Kyle chuckled at her small antic. "Just as long as I don't have to be along for the ride this time. Shopping with _you_ gives me a migraine," he groaned, rubbing his head dramatically.  
  
"Oh!" She smacked his arm, but immediately after, leaned up and kissed his cheek. "Take care, Daddy. Take care of Uncle 'Dri too."  
  
"I always am." He smiled. "You _will_ stop by more often, right?"  
  
"Absolutely!" she called, heading out the door. "Love you, Daddy! Bye! Say hello to Uncle BJ for me too!"  
  
"I will!" He waved as he watched his only daughter leaving in her little black sports car.  
  
Kyle sighed deeply. At last, he was able to talk to her about the separation and make her feel better about it. But after all was said and done, he didn't know if _he_ felt better about it, though. Closing the door softly, he headed for the kitchen, intent on making his sleep–deprived friend some lunch.  
  
After a filling lunch of Chef Ghoulyardee, two best friends made their way out of the kitchen and into the living room, ready to begin tackling the rest of the day.  
  
"Why don't you go upstairs and throw some shorts on and practice some of your routines out front? You haven't been exercising lately. You're losing wei—"  
  
A strangled gasp erupted from Endri's throat, and he stopped short, Kyle almost slamming into his back.  
  
"What th—? 'Dri?"  
  
The ghost never said a word, just stared toward the front doors, mouth gaping, eyes huge and glossy. Kyle followed the unbelieving look only to see the wispy figure of a little girl of about six or seven, kneeling on the floor and playing with a ragged doll like it was her most prized possession. Her entire body was transparent and black and white, but her hair was the color of a golden, sandy beach, so gold it was almost brown, and her eyes were shining hazel. A slow, little tune hummed from her small throat that echoed through the air around the two friends hauntingly.  
  
Endri released a held breath and spun to hide against Kyle, curled up into himself. "_It'san illusion. It must be an illusion. It isn't real._" he mumbled to apparently no one but himself.  
  
Confusion ate away at the human as he unconsciously patted the ghost's shoulder for comfort. "Who is she?" his voice spoke quietly.  
  
Endri reeled back from his new brother in shock. "You see her too? IImpossible! _Iie, iie masaka_!"  
  
The raised voice grabbed the little girl's attention, and she looked over to the two men as if just seeing them. Her eyes grew wide, and she jumped to her feet, holding the limp little doll by the arm. "Daddy!"  
  
Endri utterly froze.  
  
Kyle stared in shock. "_Daddy?!_"  
  
The girl ran over, seemingly in slow motion, becoming more and more solid with each step. Elated giggling echoed around her, filling the Roadhouse with the fear–inspiring sounds no matter how jovial they were meant to be. Tiny hands and thin, but healthy–looking arms wove around the ghost's hips, and the little girl hugged against Endri tightly. "Daddy, I missed you!" she exclaimed happily, nuzzling against his side.  
  
Even though she was not a foot away from Kyle, and no space resided between her and Endri, that nearly monochromatic girl still didn't seem as though she belonged to reality.  
  
Looking down with a heavy swallow, the ghost stared, obviously terrified and disbelieving. He seemed to know the strange apparition. "K–Kaia?"  
  
The little girl looked up and smiled sweetly, reaching her lithe arms to be picked up. Her childlike beauty was radiant. The fear evaporated when he looked into those smiling, brilliant eyes, and he bent down and grabbed her up quickly.  
  
"Kaia! My little Kaia!" he exclaimed, hugging her tightly. "Where have you been? I looked for you—looked so hard!"  
  
Kaia just smiled her ethereal smile and hugged around Endri's neck, her little doll still dangling from her fingers and resting along his shoulder. "I love you, Daddy."  
  
The ghost wept with joy and held her to him, holding her as if never wanting to let go again.  
  
Kyle had backed away a few feet in silent awe, witnessing his best friend cradle a child he never knew the ghost had created. Endri had a daughter. It blew the human's mind. "_Why did you never tell me about her, 'Dri?_" he asked, voice quiet and barely even there.  
  
Endri caressed the back of the girl's head and sniffed the tears back. "It was too painful."  
  
Kaia drew back suddenly, glaring. "Pain? You don't know pain."  
  
The ghost blinked at her, not expecting something so adult to come from her small lips. "What?"  
  
"Pain is being trapped in your mind ever since I died, _Daddy_," she spat with sarcasm.  
  
"Uh—wha—?"  
  
"You kept me locked away and hardly ever thought about me, then when you did, you pushed me further back—locked me up tighter than before. I thought you loved me, but you kept trying to forget me!" She squirmed from his arms and jumped down, then glared up at him with accusing adult–like eyes. "And it was _you_ who killed my parents!"  
  
Endri winced and looked away shamefully.  
  
"First you took away my parents, then you lock me away in your mind!"  
  
Pale hands covered pale, pointed ears, and the ghost squeezed his eyes tight. "No, please, stop it!"  
  
"No! You will not shut me out again! I've escaped, _Daddy_, and I'll make you pay for what you've done!" Kaia hissed, advancing on him.  
  
Endri retreated in fear, eyes huge and glossed over. "S–Stay away from me! You're not Kaia! Sh–She's my little girl! She would never—"  
  
"You cruelson of a bitch!" she sneered.  
  
Backpedaling into the left corner of the living room next to the fireplace, his eyes incredibly wide with fear, Endri continued to plead weakly. "No, I've changed. I've changed!"  
  
"Liar!" Kaia continued to advance, ceaselessly.  
  
"I swear!"  
  
"Then why would you raise me in your cozy little cabin as if you were some normal human being, but then go off and murder countless innocents just to prove you were stronger than they were?!"  
  
Continuing to cower, the ghost closed his eyes against the pain. "I don't know. I don't know why I did that! I couldn't help myself!" Green eyes snapped back to the little girl. "But I loved you. I loved you more than anything. You were the only thing that brightened my day." Those same green eyes teared up, water brimming the bottom lids. "Why did you get sick?! Why did you have to die?! I lost control when you died—"  
  
"So you went out on a killing spree to make yourself _feel_ better?!"  
  
"N–No, II didn't know _what_ I was doing!! Didn't realize until hours later Please, forgive me, Kaia! You know I'd never hurt you!"  
  
Kaia glowered and stopped a few feet away from her unintended stepfather. Her words came, with so much maturity. "You've already hurt me enough."  
  
A look of devastation dominated the features on Endri's face, and he slid dazedly to the floor, staring at nothing. Why? Why was his little girl saying such horrible things to him. Even though he had orphaned her, he took her in and raised her as his own. He loved her, cared for her, provided for her, gave her everything she ever wantedbut it must not have been enough. No amount of spoiling could cover the fact that he had murdered her parents. He could never make up for that. Butwasn't she too young to remember such a deed? She was only two years old when he had orphaned her, and she never even witnessed it. He remembered that day now, so vividly.  
  
--  
  
The screams had died down finally. Those pitiful screams from frightened, weak mouths. It was fun to silence each scream and close each mouth. It was a rush to see their lives ending and drinking in the sight and taste of it. Their blood was still so warm, even as it settled in his stomach. He knew that soon, his body would absorb that hot liquid and make his veins hum and his head swim with euphoria.  
  
Life never tasted _so_ good.  
  
After the annoying sounds of screams died away with the last Homo Sapien still in his clutches, a new sound permeated the smoky, burning atmosphere. A soft sound, different from a scream or desperate cry or dying breath. It piqued his curiosity, and he dropped the limp body of a woman to the dusty, charred earth. He didn't feel like carrying dead weight.  
  
His expertly acute ears picked the sound out from the rest of the surrounding ambiance. He ignored the sounds of crackling fire from the burning homes, the light jingling of the metal weapons and things strapped to various parts of his virile anatomy, and the heavy tromping of his thick leather boots. Only that strange, soft sound did he listen to, and that strange sound drew him ever closer to its source. A wall of smoke stood in his way, separating him and the cause of that curious noise. But now, he was almost certain that that noise was the sound of a humana filthy humancrying. So, he had missed one?  
  
With one step, Endriethi the Viking breached the dark smoke and emerged on the other side, his shining but bloodstained sword in his right hand, held out at his side. He stood tall and commanding, gazing down through heartless green eyes at the sight that befell him: a tiny female child kneeling between two humans, presumably its parents. The warrior didn't really remember killing those two, but then again, he had killed so many that day, it was easy to forget faces. He grinned to himself with that thought. Two more humans with forgotten facesjust like his own. A scowl settled back over his features, and he lifted his sword a little higher.  
  
The sounds that child was making were beginning to become annoying.  
  
At that moment, the little girl, only about two, looked up at the newcomer. Tears covered her dirty little cheeks, and her hazel eyes sparkled with even more. She was filthy from head to toe, covered in soot from the burning homes and soil from the ground that she had apparently been crawling on. Her hair reached just past her shoulders and was braided down the left side, much like Endriethi's, but it was so soiled, the true color of it remained hidden.  
  
The little girl simply knelt there and stared up at him, sniffling weakly and wiping her dirty hands over her cheeks, swiping muddy paths through the tears there.  
  
Endriethi the Viking halted his sword. Why was that little girl not screaming in fear of him? Why was she not running away or throwing curses at him for killing her parents? Then he realized; the child was too young—too young to know what death was and meant or who he was or his reputation.  
  
"_ Mama _" she cried in her language weakly, swiping more muddy tears.  
  
His curiosity abnormally piqued, the most feared being in the known world sheathed his sword slowly, and, the most shocking of all, unthreateningly. He wanted his hands to be free of obstruction.  
  
He had been ransacking and destroying villages and lives for a long time now, but he had never stopped to actually observe the humans he massacred. He wanted to see firsthand what his destructive nature did to the young and weak. It would be something to laugh about later.  
  
Slowly, he bent down to his haunches and balanced elegantly there, perched only five feet away from the crying child, viewing silently.  
  
The little girl sniffled and stared at the stranger, almost as if gauging him, but Endriethi knew she wasn't intelligent enough yet to do such a conscious thing. A few more sniffles later, and she leapt up, dashing for the blonde stranger and throwing her tiny arms around his neck without shame.  
  
Endriethi held his arms out, bent at the elbows, almost afraid to touch the little creature that just threw herself onto him. Why had she done that? He was a vicious killer, and she had just _run_ up to _hug_ him? It didn't make sense. Everyone was afraid of him, so why was that little child clutching him like he was the only thing left in the world and crying onto his shoulder?  
  
"_ Mama _" she moaned in her language again, almost hiccuping in her sorrow.  
  
Slowly, almost too slow for the naked eye to see movement, Endriethi brought his arms in and rested one huge hand to her tiny back and another to her dirty hair. He resisted the urge to squeeze until she broke in light of the very, _very_ strange development. He simply had no idea what to do, and curiosity kept him from doing any harm to the ignorant whelp. He wanted to see what else she may do.  
  
" H–Help " the tiny creature begged against the soft, weathered leather of his vest. " Help Mama an' Dada. Wake 'em up. "  
  
Endriethi blinked and stared over the little girl's head at the dead humans. He almost felt sorry for her. Almost.  
  
Suddenly, another feeling rushed over him, crackling in his veins and making his hands and feet tingle. Protectiveness. It blindsided him and made him scream at himself inwardly, wanting to know where it came from—why he felt a feeling he only knew for his horse, Vild.  
  
Then, he slowly began to understand. He was protective of his horse because he owned it, and he was protective of the girl because he _wanted_ to own her. He wanted that little girl for himself. No one else seemed to be around to lay claim to her, so why not take her?  
  
A little human, all his ownhe liked the sound of that.  
  
Knowing his strength could break such a fragile, small creature, Endriethi held onto her with the gentlest of touches. His rich, tenor voice flowed from pale lips and into her tiny ear, using a soft tone he reserved for himself in solitude or his horse. " Little oneyour parents are sleeping a sleep they cannot wake from, " he told her soothingly in her language.  
  
The girl sniffled and pulled away slightly until she could look into the smooth face of the nice man. " Why? "  
  
A barely discernable smile tugged at both corners of Endriethi's lips. " They are very tired. Come, we should let them sleep. " He cupped a hand under her knees and lifted, cradling her against his side as he stood.  
  
" Will dey be up soon? " she asked innocently, her tears drying, and her curiosity of the nice stranger outweighing any sadness.  
  
" No. They will sleep for a very long time. If you want, I could take care of you until you can see them again. Would you like that? " he asked sweetly, using one giant thumb to swipe away the dirt on one of her cheeks.  
  
She sniffled and smiled, then nodded emphatically. " You be new dada till Dada wake up? " she asked, all the innocence in the world instilled in that one question.  
  
Endriethi grinned a toothy grin and turned from the scene of death and destruction, carrying his precious cargo as gently as possible. " YesI will. " He trod carefully through the debris, mindful of where he was going, and moving slower than usual.  
  
As he moved along, sidestepping bodies, stone, and charred slabs of wood, he noticed part of a cloth figurine half hidden by a pile of kicked up dirt from the hooves of a stampede of horses and the shoes of fleeing humans. Carefully, he stooped to pull it free and shook it, ridding the loose dirt from the material. It was a ragged piece of scrap, but, he thought, human children liked to play with such trivial things. He wondered how the girl would react if he gave it to her.  
  
With a smirk, he lifted the doll toward the little girl and raised a blonde brow, silently asking if she wanted it. Eagerly, she snatched the toy from his fingers and hugged it to herself lovingly. She pet its dirty hair, so much like her own, and smiled as if everything was just fine in the world.  
  
" _Thank youDada,_ " she whispered, leaning in to lovingly kiss the ghost's cheek and wrap her arms around his neck.  
  
His eyes widened in surprise, not expecting such a strong reaction, and he froze, feeling the tiny, soft child nuzzle him sweetly. He always did like small, soft things.  
  
" What's your name, little one? " he asked, voice a soft hum.  
  
"Kaia!" she shouted happily, holding onto him tightly, as if she never wanted to let go again.  
  
He smirked at her and lifted his free hand around and cradled it against her tiny back, hugging so gently, practically the first hug he had given to a single being since he was very young himself. " Then you will be my Kaia, little one. My Earth. " _ And I am Endriethi_, he went on silently, wanting to at least be official in his mind. He was sure formal introductions would be lost on her young mind anyway. _Endriethi the Viking, they call me. I spare none and destroy all. My name is the most feared name to be uttered by human lips._ He looked down to his little cargo who smiled sweetly back up at him, making the glimmer of a smile appear on his lips as well. _I'm just glad everyone here is dead, so they can't see that I have now become the sparer of **one**._  
  
Silently, he continued on, enjoying the nearly weightless being in his arms, and very quickly getting used to the warmth she radiated into him. If he wasn't careful, she would make him go soft. But, he realized, by the time that happened, he wouldn't really care. That one, that child, he would protect, care for, and raise as his own. He would never hurt that little human, he decided as he mounted his horse and tucked her into the saddle right in front of him—would never hurt her, not for any reason.  
  
--  
  
"_You've already hurt me enough._" Her voice echoed throughout his mind, slowly pulling him back into reality. In the time it took to remember all those events, only the blink of an eye had occurred in reality.  
  
"Now, it's _my_ turn to hurt _you_." Kaia's doll, the doll Endri had uprooted from the death and destruction of her village, morphed in her hand into a long, dull knife, covered with rust spots and dried blood. "Hold still _Hehha–ha–ha–ha!_"  
  
The young girl's body split into two with the disgusting sound of rending flesh, then those two split into two, leaving four little girls holding dull, dirty knives. All of them leapt onto Endri, trying to stab him. A bloodcurdling scream erupted from the ghost's lips, and he flailed his arms and legs desperately, half lying on the floor on his back, four little girls, all laughing and giggling their haunting titters, trying to cut him into pieces.  
  
Kyle shook off his astonishment and scrambled over and attempted to grab one of the girls, but his hands passed right through her. He tried to grab another, but received the same results for his efforts.  
  
"Endri! It's all right, they aren't real! _They're not real!!_" He looked through the thrashing bodies and saw that his friend's eyes were huge and dilated until the green irises seemed totally gone, leaving only a bright red ring around an endless ocean of black within a sea of faded yellow.  
  
Beetlejuice skidded into the room, looking for the source of the commotion he had heard from out back. "What the hell?!"  
  
The little girls halted their assault, but did not remove themselves from Endri's body. Each, in the same instance, transformed into four male doctors wearing white gowns and facemasks with white caps over their hair. They all held crude, dull surgical instruments, poised at the ready.  
  
The ghost ceased thrashing and froze, his arms down to his sides and legs sitting straight out in front of him, almost like a doll. He jerked and tried to twist his arms and legs, but remained locked in that position, almost as if he was strapped there by unseen restraints.  
  
"Nonot this again. Not again. Not again! _Not again!! NOT AGAIIIIIN!!!_"  
  
All four doctors swung in and cut deeply into Endri's skin, and he screamed louder than ever before, making Kyle's ears ring. He tried again to pull the assailants off of his best friend, but, still, none of them were real. "Endri! _Endri!_" he shouted, trying to get through with words. He felt so helpless.  
  
Endri screamed as the doctor's knives sliced through his arms and chest, leaving huge streams of blood as the skin separated and exposed muscle and even bone beneath.  
  
Kyle held a hand over his mouth at the sickening sight, watching his best friend being dissected by creatures that weren't even real. _What do I do?! What do I do?! I can't pull them off! I can't help him!_ Beneath his hand, his teeth took hold of his bottom lip, biting in nervousness and frustration.  
  
With precision, the doctors sliced open the ghost's belly and pulled the skin back, opening Endri's abdomen and exposing the organs inside to the air. They weren't normal organs. No intestines, no bladder, kidneys, or liver were present. But set below the ghost's lungs and diaphragm were six organs, all identical, lining three on each side, all a bluish-purple with the slightest tinge of green along the bottoms. All six connected to an artery that lead up the middle, between the organs and lungs to split off again and join with the ghost's still heart. Another artery, only one, left the heart to travel about the body to deliver stagnant plasma and energy where it was needed. Blood and fluids oozed out through the gaping cavity, pouring down over Endri's legs and sides and onto the floor.  
  
With a repressed gag, Kyle, still with his hand firmly over his mouth, whirled from the sight, unable to witness such horrors happening to his best friend. He could barely comprehend that he just witnessed Endri's internal organs being displayed for all to see. The gargled scream he heard, however, ripped his attention back.  
  
The skin from Endri's chest was completely pulled open and staked to the hardwood floor and wall by four bloody scalpels. The doctors were now rooting around inside the ghost's chest cavity, poking at organs and moving things around to see. Their gloved hands reached right in, and one of them used a pair of dull, rusted scissors to cut away one of the six strange organs. It was lifted out and black eyes rested on it, poking and prodding.  
  
"_Nplease, no. Why'm not Stop Don't._" Endri begged, unable to use air to help form his words, using words he had uttered only a few hundred years ago. It was all happening again, all of it, down to the finest detail. Only this time, he happened to be sitting upright, forcing his innards to slide down and out of the opening cut into his body. Tears poured from his eyes saturated with pain and anguish. He was being torn apart, and there was nothing he could do to stop themjust like before.  
  
The doctors stared at him with no pity and nodded to each other silently. They all bent down to him again, more instruments poised, ready to tear, cut, and mutilate in their search to find out how he worked.  
  
"_Nono!_" Endri cried, random limbs twitching involuntarily. The sharp objects met more skin, drew forth more blood and pain, and the ghost screamed. The shout was cut short as one doctor took a slice through his throat, cutting it wide open and destroying his voice box. Blood poured from his mouth and nose, backed up. His body convulsed more, as more of those odd organs were sliced from his abdomen.  
  
"_DADDYYYYYYYYY!!!_" a terrified voice screamed, startling Beetlejuice and Kyle who had been staring in horror, unable to look away and unable to move in their shock, and only hearing the disgusting sounds of flesh and tissue being cut and sloshed around.  
  
Beetlejuice regained his bearings and dove forward, reaching right through the doctors to latch onto the ghost's shoulder. His pale hand flew without restraint, then, slapping his son across the face _very_ hard.  
  
Kyle winced at the resounding crack.  
  
Endri's head snapped to the side, his hair, damp with sweat, swinging out with the motion.  
  
The doctors vanished, the cuts in his skin and opening in his chest vanished, the blood oozing down his limbs and torso vanished, all into mists that dissipated into the air around them.  
  
Beetlejuice's voice was stern and strong as he said, "Wake up, Endri. You're having a nightmare."  
  
The ghost blinked his eyes open slowly and turned his head back toward his father, the green orbs back to normal but glossy with remaining tears. "_D-Daddy_" he whispered, voice tiny, his entire body trembling.  
  
The ghoul cradled his only son gently and rocked him. "_Shh_it's okay, boy. I got ya. Daddy's got ya."  
  
Whimpering softly, Endri curled up against his father, his once strong hands—now only wearing a mask of strength—fisted into black and white material and gripped there as if the ghoul that held him was his only salvation. "_Daddyit was scary. These mean men were hurting me,_" he managed, voice sounding like a frightened little boy.  
  
"I know. It's okay now. It was just a dream."  
  
Endri sniffled and nuzzled against his father's chest, feeling safe and warm in his arms. "_I love you, Daddy._"  
  
Beetlejuice exhaled heavily and held his son tighter than ever.  
  
Watching from further back as the ghoul returned the heartfelt sentiment, Kyle slowly turned and walked from the room, a dazed, sickened look resting on his features. He made his way upstairs and closed the bedroom door softly, not even noticing his own actions. Leaning against the door, he stared off ahead at nothing, his eyes unfocused. He swallowed hard, trying to keep the contents of his stomach from escaping at the thought of what just happened. It was so horrible.  
  
A voice, not his own, drifted through his head, and he tried so hard to push it away.  
  
_That was what they did to me.  
  
_"_Oh_" Kyle moaned softly, tears making his eyes swim as they stared at nothing.  
  
Softly, to himself, he spoke again. "Buthe didn't call for me." Blue eyes blinked slowly. "He called for his dadfor Beetle." Languid footsteps brought him over to his bed, and he sat upon it. _Maybemaybe he doesn'tneed me anymore. Maybe he wants his dad to take my place._ He swallowed heavily. _Buthe's **always** needed me before. He wouldn't suddenly **not**would he?_ Kyle held his head in his hands, burying his face in the limber digits in a vain attempt to hide from everyone and everything. _Wh–What's happening? What's going on around here?! Why is everything so fucked up?! Why can't he just be my friend again—my old friend that wasn't likelike **this?!** I want him back. I want my old Endri** back!**_  
  
Slowly, the weary human leaned to the side and fell to the bed, light cries slipping from his throat. Anger swelled in his being—anger at himself for being weak and soft—for crying because of that blonde–headed bastard all the time. He hadn't cried so much since his family was killed by the Limbo Drinker. But after what he just witnessed, how could he _not_ cry for his friend?  
  
Feeling emotionally drained from not only that day but from the entire time he had been taking care of Endri, Kyle fell into a light nap, tears still slipping over his flushed cheeks even in slumber.  
  
Soonsomeone was going to crackand in his dreams, the human prayed it wouldn't be himself.

* * *

Japanese / pronunciation / English Translation:  
  
iie / ee-eh / no  
ningen / neen-gen (g in "gun") / human  
Nippon / neep-pon / Japan  
masaka / mah-sah-kah / Impossible!; That can't be!  
  
Next...Abductions... 


	11. Taken

A story about life, love, courage, and testing ultimate friendship. What happens to Beetlejuice and his friends when one of their own falls into despair and changes completely? Nothing will ever be the same. This story is an **Alternate Universe** set five years after _Dark Shadows_ in the year 2008, and does **not** follow the intended story line. I repeat, this story does **NOT** follow the intended story line of the two stories (_A New Beginning_ & _Dark Shadows_) included in my _Beetlejuice Afterlife_ series, which is why it is simply titled "Mania" and not "Beetlejuice Afterlife – Mania". If I have someone ask me why I would put this as a sequel, I'll ignore them, because, right here it says: **THIS STORY IS NOT A SEQUEL**. This story was just bursting to be written, but I have no intention to make it part of my previous series. It just happens to use that series' events as a prelude. I hope there is no confusion.

* * *

Thanks again for reviewing, Wanda and Maya. Love you guys! (Maya, was your review chopped off? Just wondering, cuz it sounded like it just stopped in mid-sentence.)

This chapter...well, things are going good, but then, of course, something terrible happens. You should expect that from me by now. ;)

Be warned! Non consensual sex and bloodletting and losing hope. Bad combo.

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Mania  
Spencers13 – March 2003–March 2004  
R – Drama – Angst 

Chapter Eleven – Taken

The days marched on, and Kyle Bennington realized he was much more soft–hearted than he thought. Endri was practically ignoring him, and it hurt so much worse than any hardship the two had ever faced. Depression followed the human like a black rain cloud, hovering near and drenching him in sorrow every time the ghost passed him by or called out for his father instead of him.

But there was always a silver lining to black rain clouds, and Kyle's silver lining was the small bit of happiness he got out of knowing that Endri and Beetlejuice were getting along so well. The ghoul's son was finally acknowledging his father, and Kyle couldn't deny the pure joy he saw sparkling in Beetlejuice's eyes when his son spoke to him first.

However, still, Kyle seemed to have no one to speak to anymore. His best friend seemed gone, almost like he wasn't even there, and it hurt the human to no end to have the only being that used to depend on him for almost everything ignore him.

It was early, and Beetlejuice and Endri had gone on an outing for the entire day. Home alone, was Kyle, meandering in the kitchen, fixing a little something to tide himself over for a few hours. Depression still hung thickly in the air around him, making his thin frame sag as he slathered a peanut butter and jelly sandwich together.

Across the street, the Monster's attention was pulled from the television when the sound of a loud bang erupted from BJ's Roadhouse. Thinking nothing of it simply because it was common for such noises to drift over from Beetlejuice's home, the Monster went back to watching TV.

Laughing, carrying on, and generally having a wonderful time, Beetlejuice and Endri returned home around seven that same evening. In their hands were shopping bags from the Real World, stuffed full of goodies and unnecessary but nice to have items.

Laughing so hard, it was hard for him to speak as Endri continued on with something they had been joking over before entering the Roadhouse. "I—_ha–ha–ha!_ I can't believe you—_ha–ha!_—did that to that girl!"

Beetlejuice simply cackled so hard, he held his stomach, unable to form words through his mirth.

"The look on her face! _Ah–ha–ha–ha!_" the ghost went on, carrying his things into the kitchen.

Following, slowly calming from his merry high and wiping tears from his eyes, the ghoul bumped into his son's back, making the boy drop his bags from suddenly unresponsive fingers. Beetlejuice grunted and looked around his son at the kitchen, his eyes widening when he noticed almost the entire back wall was destroyed and the rest of the room was a total disaster.

"What the hell?!" he gasped, glancing up at Endri.

The ghost was frozen and staring, something akin to fear on his features.

Backing away a little, telling himself it wasn't in fear of his boy, Beetlejuice looked back over his shoulder toward the living room, dropping his bags to the floor as well. "Kyle?!" He waited for an answer, but, much to his dismay, received none. "Kyle! You home?"

Endri moved forward and came to a stop beside the table. On it rested chunks of plaster and drywall and a half completed peanut butter and jelly sandwich. The butter knife used to spread the ingredients rested over the peanut butter side of the sandwich, looking like it was dropped there. The smell of something so eerily familiar made him hope beyond hope that it wasn't what he thought it was but knew it had to be.

Tiny droplets of drying red liquid were pooled on the table in intermittent places, looking as if they had been dribbled there. Slowly, almost dazedly, Endri reached his forefinger down and swiped it through one of the thick droplets of liquid and brought it up to his lips, licking it off with a languid movement of his tongue. His blank stare rose from nothing to gaze out through the hole in the kitchen wall, not registering that his eyes came to rest on the barren back yard.

"_Kyle's_"

Beetlejuice, who stood a few feet back, heard the tiny utterance and swallowed with nerves. _Oh, boythis is **all** we need._ "Endriit's okay. We'll find him. Don't worry."

Endri slowly balled his fingers into a fist and grimaced, feeling bodiless pain waft through his being. His green eyes slipped closed, and his white teeth grit together so hard, they kricked. A small whimper escaped those tightly clenched teeth before the ghost inhaled a quick breath and bellowed his anguish for all the Neitherworld to hear. He fell to his knees, his voice echoing everywhere.

Kyle jerked awake, blinking groggily. In the distance, he swore he heard something echoing, but the more seconds that passed, it felt more like the fading echo of a dream. He looked around the room he seemed to be occupying, unable to tell where he was for the oppressing darkness. His eyes were accustomed to the black, but everything was entirely too dim to take in. Knowing he was sitting upright on something unusually soft and against a wall that had warmed due to constant contact with his skin, he also realized his arms were held securely behind his back by what felt like three-ring shackles, starting at his wrists and ending halfway up his forearms. His legs also wouldn't move very far. A thick, metal shackle wound around each of his upper thighs and was connected to a smaller shackle around each of his ankles by a short four or five-link chain. The shackles on his thighs were also chained to his upper arms, prohibiting him from standing in case he somehow worked the binds on his ankles off. It also felt like he had a metal collar around his neck with metal loops dangling in the frontas if awaiting someone to attach a chain to it too.

A light wave of panic began to set in, then, when Kyle realized his entire outfit was gone, leaving him stark naked! Someone had violated him while he was unconscious?! The mere thought made him sick, and he tried more desperately to struggle with his restraints, throwing caution to the wind. He was loud, probably alerting whoever had captured him, but not caring as he grappled with his binds, grunting and straining, trying to stand as well.

_ Oh, shitwhat's goin' on?_ he thought to himself, feeling the fear rising. Sweat trickled along his brow and down his bare arms, chest, and back. He had just been idly making a sandwich when his entire world shattered. He remembered debris, panic, and then pain. Tenderly, he ran his tongue through his mouth and over swollen lips, tasting the remnants of copper that meant blood. He must have been hit in the face with enough force to be knocked out and then taken towherever he was.

Across the room, a light clicked on, shocking Kyle's eyes. He ceased struggling and twisted his head to the side, eyelids locked tight, trying to keep the bright glare from hurting his sensitive cerulean orbs. When at last the sting passed and the light wasn't so hard to bear, he blinked his lids open and slowly turned back to the source of his sudden shock.

A woman sat in a posh chair across the room, slowly drawing her pale hand back from an antique–looking lamp. She sat casually, her long legs crossed and a smirk on her bright red lips. Her overly made–up face glowed as well as her hair, shining healthily in the lamplight. The ebony locks were well–kept, long, and flowing in silky waves about her shoulders, looking like a black waterfall. Skin-tight black slacks adorned her legs and a shiny, tight, black leather corset wrapped around her slim waist. A puffy, red shirt overflowed from the corset, making her already sizeable breasts look that much larger. Black leather boots rose to her calves and laced all the way up, tied off in neat, dangling bows.

All in all, the pale–skinned woman was incredibly beautiful, but there was something definitely not quite right about her. She sat there on her chair in the room—rather heavily decorated with antiques from all across time—looking contemplative.

"Hello, there. You finally decided to wake up, eh, human?" she spoke, her voice femininely deep and sensual.

Kyle blinked and swallowed, but said not a word.

"My name is Moira. You are Kyle, I presume," she went on, not put off in the slightest by his silence.

Anger slowly welled in Kyle's gut, but he refrained from frowning, trying instead to show no emotion whatsoever. He wouldn't let that woman get to him—not in any way. _What the hell does she want with me?_

Moira only smirked. "Kyle Gavan Benningtonit flows nicely." She stood seductively, something that seemed to come very easy to her. Her height was considerable, probably surpassing Kyle's five foot eight by at least four inches, and her entire body was lean and slender.

Slowly, she made her way over to her captive, saying along the way, "A human"

Kyle swallowed, suddenly feeling very nervous. She was definitely not to be trusted, if the fact that she had him in shackles, sitting nude upon a large, lavishly plush pillow in the corner of her living room said anything.

"From the Real World," she continued on. "A white–haired beauty with pale, but healthy skin; a full, healthy body: soft, smooth, supple. So beautiful" she stopped right next to him and leaned down, putting them face to face, "exotic." Licking her lips, she trailed her yellow eyes up and down the man's body. "You would taste so delicious, I would wager."

Trying his best to show contempt, Kyle turned his face away and scowled, keeping his lips tightly shut.

Moira smirked again. "Nothing to say to me? You screamed loud enough when I saved you from that grotesque establishment." She leaned back up and stared down her nose at him. "Though I have no idea why. I would abhor living in such a" her face scrunched disgustedly, "dump. I'd have been ecstatic had someone rescued me from it."

"That dump was my home."

Moira blinked, surprised. "So, he speaks. And I must say," she leaned down again, "your voice is sodelicious. I could _eat_ you up, human. But I won't."

Kyle couldn't help feeling relieved. He wouldn't have put it past her to literally eat him.

"You would be so much more valuable to me alive. _So_ much more valuable" She trailed a finger down the side of his face and licked her lips again. "I have to admitI'm having a hard time keeping my hands off of you. And I almost can't believe I actually have you: the only human in the Neitherworld. How did you manage to get here anyway? And why would you be _living_ here? This disgusting world isn't _that_ great, is it?"

Kyle was silent.

"No matter. You're here, that's all that counts."

"What do you want with me?" He tried to keep his voice monotone and stoic, but even _he_ noticed the twinge of uneasiness laced into the words.

Moira smiled, bearing one gleaming fang. "What any other Neitherworldian in their right mind would want with a human."

That human swallowed as she ran a hand up his thigh, stopping uncomfortably close.

Leaning in, she whispered the finish of her wants into his rounded ear. "_Pleasure._"

Kyle hissed. "Keep your fuckin' hands off me."

Moira smirked and pulled away, standing and walking slowly back to her chair, her hips swaying enticingly. Though, Kyle wasn't interested in that one bit. "I bet you're wondering how I even discovered your existence here, aren't you?"

The human scowled but chose not to answer. The talkative wench seemed to want to tell him anyway, whether he was willing to hear or not.

"Sure you are." She giggled throatily. "You can give your former companion thanks for being such a loudmouth. Pepper, wasn't it?"

Kyle almost gasped aloud. "P_told_ you about me?"

Smirking, Moira sat back into her plush chair again, crossing her legs. She loved that look of horror on his face. "Not so much as told _me specifically_, per say, but more of a drunken rant at the unfitness spa about how she had the perfect human in her grip but let him go. Almost everyone thought she was simply raving and drunk. But it got my attention, so I decided to investigate. It took me a while, but I finally found you, and now that I have you, I'll never let you go the way she so foolishly did."

The white–haired human bit his lip and looked down to the floor at his knees, trying with all his might to keep the tears and emotion inside. The horrid feeling of absolute, ultimate betrayal ripped through his being, making his heart seize in his chest and his breath hitch. He felt like he would drop dead right there from such rending pain.

The vampire–like woman stood again and stepped back over to him, kneeling down to stroke his cheek and hair like a master would a beloved pet. "Poor little thing. She must have meant something to you. Well, forget about her. She didn't treat you properly. I will be so much better to you than that ungrateful whore." She leaned down like she would kiss him. "Let me make everything better. I'll make you forget her."

Kyle suddenly panted for a breath and jerked his head away from her insulting hand. "Don't you touch me! Let me go!"

Moira frowned. "I don't think so. You're mine now."

Growling, the human stared at her hatefully. "You don't realize what you've done. You don't realize who I was living with. That was the _Roadhouse_ you broke into and kidnapped me from. _Beetlejuice's_ house."

She only laughed at his attempt to frighten her. "You must think me daft! I knew quite well who's home I abducted you from."

Kyle smirked and bared his teeth. "Then you also must know that Beetlejuice's son, Endri, lives there too. Did you know that he has the Mania?"

Gasping lightly, Moira put a delicate hand to her mouth. "Eew."

"I was taking care of him, you know. I was his caretaker since it started five months ago. With me gone, he'll throw a shit fit and come after whoever stole me away from him. He'll come after _you_. And when he finds you, I don't think he'll be very reasonable. You'd better let me go now and save yourself any trouble."

His captor giggled throatily. "Sweet Kyle, I don't frighten that easily. Let Beetlejuice or the Mania brat search as long as they want; they will never find this place." She leaned in and held his face still with just one hand and lightly kissed his nose. "Oh, so warm!" More kisses were placed to the human's nose, cheeks, and forehead.

He struggled against the falsely sweet lips, but it seemed he had no strength compared to her. She may have been a female, but she was amazingly strong. He jerked with all his might, trying to pull away.

"Just relax, Kyle. Let me take all of your worries away." Moira's tongue trailed along his cheek and nipped at his earlobe, then nibbled those teeth along one of his shoulders. Sharp fangs suddenly sunk into the soft flesh of the tender part of Kyle's upper arm.

"_NnGH!_" He bit off the shout of pain in contempt. He would _not_ let her get to him—not in _any _way! The disturbed woman licked at the seeping blood, mumbling incoherently about it being warm and delicious. Kyle turned his face away and squeezed his eyes shut against the pain and humiliation.

_Are **all** ghosts fuckin' sadists?!_

With a sudden shout of crazed desire, Moira pulled away from him, displaying a bit of crimson smeared over her lips, and worked frantically at undoing her own pants. "I can't hold out any longer. You taste so _good_, human! Forget pleasantries and taking things slow. I'll savor you later." She pushed her slacks down to her knees.

Kyle renewed his struggles, trying to jerk away, but was unfortunately reminded that he was held in general place by the shackles around his wrists, thighs, and ankles.

Moira only hissed in desire. "That's right, my little human" She leaned her head down to his groin.

_Oh, fuckno!  
_

Endri cried out and stumbled, falling to the rocky road beneath him. Beetlejuice was right there with him and knelt down to help his son.

"Endri! What'sa matter?!"

The ghost cradled his right hand that throbbed painfully. "Something's wrong. Kylehe's beingattacked."

"How can you be sure?"

Endri showed his father his hand. The palm was red and very sore looking, almost like there was a rash or small specks of blood seeping through the irritated pores. "We bondedas brothers. When I concentrate, I can feel him. Strong emotions are made known. I feel him now." He grimaced. "Angerfear."

Beetlejuice hauled his son to his feet. "Come–on, we gotta keep moving. We'll find him." Cupping a hand to the side of his mouth, he shouted ahead of them, "Doomie! Pick up the pace!"

"_Meep meeeep!_" the auto responded, his RPM's jumping up as he sniffed along the road with more vigor.

The ghoul tugged on Endri's arm. "Let's go sit in the car while he sniffs around. We should rest."

But the boy yanked his arm away from his father's helping hand. "No! I won't rest until I know Kyle's safe!" he shouted, determined, walking ahead faster.

Beetlejuice sighed and jogged to catch up.

"_Kyle_"

Kyle slowly blinked his eyes open and groggily leveled his blurry gaze upon Moira's saccharine visage.

"Take a sip, baby. You need to keep your strength up," she implored, holding an antique teacup filled with some unknown amber liquid swirling within it.

The human pulled away, refusing to drink.

"Come now, don't be stubborn. Take a drinkfor me?" She gave him some form of sweet, pleading eyes, but that look only made Kyle want to spite her that much more. He closed his eyes, keeping his face, drained of almost all color, away. Moira growled in frustration. "Stupid human! You won't eat, drink, or even talk anymore! What's your problem?! I'm treating you exquisitely, and you continually refuse my kindness!" She threw the cup across the room, not caring that the warm liquid splashed all over the floor or that the expensive china shattered to pieces. "You need to be taught some manners and discipline." Leaning in, she savagely bit the tender flesh of Kyle's chest and literally sucked his blood out through the wound, trying to make it sting and burn as much as possible.

The human held everything in, even the tears as he detached himself from reality—something he had learned very quickly to avoid the pain and humiliation—and let his mind drift elsewhere.

_Where are they? Why haven't they come yet? Are they even looking for me?_

He never even felt it when Moira raked her nails down his side then backhanded him across an already bruised cheek.

_I would have thought at least Endri would be looking for me. But latelyhe hasn't been needing me. Maybeno one knows I'm even gone. Maybe they haven't even noticed. Maybe they didbut they don't care. They don't care that I'm gone. They don't care what could be happening to me. They forgot about me._ Sorrow welled in his gut, and his blue eyes swam with tears. _M–Maybe I shouldf–forget them too? This womanshe's cruel and heartless. She forces me to do things I don't want to. She keeps me chained up and shows me off to her friends when they come overbut at least she pays attention to me._

Slowly, Kyle came out of his daze and blinked at Moira as if just waking from a dream already forgotten. His cerulean eyes looked upon her, the pupils dilated to unnatural proportions.

The woman seethed and glared. "So you finally decide to acknowledge me? You smug piece of—"

Kyle leaned forward, letting his lips fall against hers in a seemingly timid kiss.

Shocked, Moira pulled away and looked him over skeptically, but when she noticed his body physically responding to her, she allowed a smirk to play on her full, red lips. "It seems I beat some sense into you after all. Perhaps I should have done that first instead of going through all that hassle." A sickening grin spread over her full lips. "I bet you liked that, didn't you? You masochistic human, why didn't you say you liked it rough?" She leaned in to kiss him again, and again, he responded. Backing away, she smirked once more. "Good boy. Let's see what else you know how to do."

Though the human responded to her willingly, he was slow, and she didn't overlook his large, dilated eyes. Attributing that look to some human bodily response to desire, however, she continued assaulting her suddenly willing captive. But even still, he would not speak, would not gasp or moan, would not utter even a single noise. And the only thought in his mind during the entire time was: _Maybe this is what I deserve._

* * *

Japanese / pronunciation / English Translation:

None this time

Next...the past... 


	12. All in the Past  Part 1

A story about life, love, courage, and testing ultimate friendship. What happens to Beetlejuice and his friends when one of their own falls into despair and changes completely? Nothing will ever be the same. This story is an **Alternate Universe** set five years after _Dark Shadows_ in the year 2008, and does **not** follow the intended story line. I repeat, this story does **NOT** follow the intended story line of the two stories (_A New Beginning_ & _Dark Shadows_) included in my _Beetlejuice Afterlife_ series, which is why it is simply titled "Mania" and not "Beetlejuice Afterlife – Mania". If I have someone ask me why I would put this as a sequel, I'll ignore them, because, right here it says: **THIS STORY IS NOT A SEQUEL**. This story was just bursting to be written, but I have no intention to make it part of my previous series. It just happens to use that series' events as a prelude. I hope there is no confusion.

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Thanks for reviews. Sorry I haven't updated in a while too. Been busy. Life's gettin' a hold of me lately. :P

I guess I didn't make something clear eariler, so I'll try to explain now. Kyle was kidnapped and taken somewhere, we don't know where. By the time he began to lose his self and mindlessly accept what was happening to him, it had been at least a month or more since he was taken. Keep in mind as well, that even before he was taken, he was starting to lose his faith in Endri, even BJ a little, because he was going ignored for weeks beforehand. A lot of crap's been hitting him and he just snapped and gave in mindlessly. Maybe I should have made the timeframe more aparent. Sorry 'bout that! ;

The following chapter is what I consider too long to keep someone interested to read the whole thing, so I broke it into two parts. Part 1 is up now and part 2 will come up later. Hope that's okay with everyone.

* * *

Mania  
Spencers13 – March 2003–March 2004  
R – Drama – Angst 

Chapter Twelve – All in the Past (pt 1)

Driving forward, unrelenting, Endrithi Juice pushed his body past its limits, never ceasing, never slowing. Nothing could stop him. Nothing _dared_ stop him. Not even his father, Beetlejuice, could stop him, because even _he_ was pushing his own body past its limits just to keep up with his son.

They were on the hunt.

Endri felt no fatigue as he ran, not even attempting to make it easier on himself by riding in his father's convertible just to go faster. Speed meant nothing if he couldn't tell which direction to follow.

His hand throbbed and burned, and devastating emotions poured into him—emotions not his own—feeding his crazed Mania that much more. What he felt was Kyle's emotions through the blood bond they shared with each other, now that they had become brothers. He had taken the human's blood into his body, fusing it with his own and creating strains of new plasma and DNA, adding the man's genetic code to his own. The human was now practically his twin, and just like some twins could feel their siblings emotions and physical pain, Endri could now feel Kyle's. Briefly, in his Mania–driven mind where just a fraction of his self remained, he wondered if his best friend could feel his emotions—if he had fused the ghost's DNA with his as well. Would Kyle know he was being searched for and worried about? The ghost hoped so, for that could bring the human some comfort wherever he was.

But Endri never felt a feeling of comfort flowing between he and his brother, only pain and suffering and humiliation. It only made him strive to push ahead harder, faster. It only made him want to find him that much more.

A few memories sparked in his mind as he ran. He remembered a long time ago, a time when things were simpler. There were no worries about kidnappings, no threats of insanity, no need for hardly a care. Why couldn't things be like that again? Why couldn't he just wake up from the nightmare that was his afterlife and realize that everything had been just that—a nightmare? Maybe it all _was_ a nightmare—just a dream to wake from by simply opening his eyes. Maybe he was really alive somewhere, back in time so long ago when things were indeed simpler. But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't open his eyes. He couldn't wake up. And the realization that he really _was_ there, he really _was_ insane, he really _was_ in desperate search to find his missing blood brother—it hurt, stung, and burned.

His energy–creating heart seized in his chest, and his teeth grit together in a devastated facial grimace. Tears, now a common sight on him, flowed in thick rivers down his cheeks to drip off his chin and splash to the soil below his racing feet. But it mattered not where those unstopping feet tread. It was only a blur to rush past his eyes and body, another hurdle for him to leap over.

_Kyle_ his mind echoed softly. _Where are you?_

Another voice whispered back, not his own. It was soft, subtle, and barely even there, but the ghost heard it. _Endriwhere are you?_

His eyes widened, the tears still flowing. _I'm here!_ he shouted inwardly, but hoping it reached his best friend wherever he was. _I'm here, Kyle! Where are you?!_

_Endri_ the same, soft voice whispered again, _save me. Deliver me from this hell._

"I will! I will!" the ghost shouted out loud, startling his father a few paces behind. "Just tell me where you are, Kyle, and I'll save you!"

Beetlejuice swallowed his heart. His poor son had become even more delusional than he thought. His boy must have heard voices and thought they were his friend talking. How he wished he could save his only son from the madness eating him down to nothing.

_Save mesave me_ The voice was fading, echoing hauntingly throughout Endri's mind, a desperate call that thought it was going unanswered.

"No, don't go, Kyle!" the ghost screamed, dashing ahead even faster. "Tell me where you are! Tell me! _Kyyyylllle!!_" He tripped over an upraised rock in his path and careened for the ground, face first, landing heavily and scraping up his entire front half. Dust and dirt exploded from the impact of his body and curled up around him only to be carried off by an errant breeze.

Beetlejuice slid on halting feet next to his son, almost falling himself with the sudden stop. The dust that billowed up from the scraping movement was blown away on the same breeze that took Endri's cloud, and the ghoul knelt quickly, laying his hands to his son's broad back.

"Endri! You okay, kid?!" He gripped the boy's shoulders and rolled him over into his arms, cradling him close.

A few small tears had opened in his white tank top when it received a few dark stains from scraping along the rocks and dirt. Along the left side of his face, his cheek, chin, and forehead had been skinned, thick blood seeping from the exposed wounds. His left shoulder and arm weren't in much better condition, as well as the exposed upper part of his chest. But instead of jumping up immediately after his fall, the ghost just laid there in his father's arms, almost as if he had been knocked out.

The tears on Endri's cheeks flowed endlessly from his closed eyes, cutting wet paths in the dirt on his face and stinging his new cuts and scrapes. In one part of his mind, he was screaming at himself, berating himself for being so damn weak and blubbery all the time when he should be putting all else aside until Kyle was found. But another part wept and bawled and shuddered with loss and uncertainty. How could he find his brother in the vastness of the Neitherworld with nothing to guide his way, only a subtle pull on his mind that intensified in strength the closer he came to the source? Was he searching in vain? Would Kyle be dead by the time he found him? Would that precious flame of life be put out?

"_Endri! Endri! Dammit, look at me!_" a voice shouted through his raging thoughts and emotions.

Green eyes encircled with red blinked open, glazed and unfocused. Shining tears cascaded forth, unhindered behind restraining lids any longer. What was that voice? Was that Kyle calling to him again? The face above him wavered and fazed in and out of his reality, the voice echoing and getting lost into nothingness.

Kyle. That name was so familiar to him. He remembered, a long time ago, when he met the man called Kyle—when their mutual quest started, when their partnership started, when their friendship started. He remembered when it all begansixteen years ago

A ghost. What could define such a simple word? The dictionary only describes it as is a disembodied spirit. Is that all a ghost is—just a mass of energy that detached from its body to float around? Surely, there must be more to it than that.

To the average person, a ghost was something to be feared or respected. And to the especially macabre, it was something to aspire to be or even be _with_ or control. And still, others went out in search of the specters, trying to study them and prove they truly existed, because as a whole, the Human race was afraid of death, yet was fiercely intrigued by it.

Those were the musings of one such being. A ghost. He _was_ one of those proverbial "disembodied spirits". But he was not a floating mass of energy. He was not an invisible thing that knocked down dishes or rattled cabinet doors. He didn't go about scaring people witless or try to cause any harm. He just existed, trying as best he could to blend into normal society.

So, what did he look like? If he wasn't a glow–ball or a wisp of smoke or a shadow on the wall, then what _was_ he? He was a man, though technically not so. Men were human, and _he_ was a ghost. But his appearance could have fooled everyone. He looked to be about twenty–five. He was tall, but not overly so; built like he had been working out all of his life, but not obscenely huge; and he modestly prided himself on having some roguishly good looks. His pale, blonde hair fell past his shoulders, and bangs cut level with his mouth covered part of either side of his face most of the time. The soft locks were well cared for, full, and healthy.

Then, at that point, his looks began to deviate from the norm—normal for Humans, that is. His skin was paler than pale, so snowy white it was almost bluish–lavender. But even so, that pale, taught skin stretched over clearly defined muscles—rock hard beneath, yet soft and smooth above. His ears were pointed, like an elf's ears, and protruded from the softness of his hair, giving him an almost lion–esque look. Then, his eyes—those green orbs that some would consider absolutely breathtaking, and others utterly terrifying—sat behind a pair of dark sunglasses to hide their true nature. In his eyes, was revealed everything. They revealed who and what he was, how many eras he had seen, and what he was capable of accomplishing. Surrounding them were hollow rings of violet. The pale skin of his face was stained that darker, rich color just around his eyes, setting them off all the more, and adding to his mysterious, but frightening character.

After a few hundred years and a pivotal change in his behavior, he began trying to blend in, to be normal. He strived to be as human as he could, but could never quite fit in. And after years and years of failing to be accepted as a normal human, he finally resigned to accept what he _was_. He no longer strived to be human. He strived to be _himself_. That was what he imagined he had been doing wrong all along. Why try to be something he was not? Why not instead try to be everything he was? And he was a ghost.

Still, however, he disguised himself in public so as not to frighten people. He wore those dark sunglasses to hide his eyes, and a long, black trench coat covered his arms and exposed neck. As long as he never _told_ people what he was, they would assume he was human. Let them believe what they would.

He just wanted to exist. He wanted to be happybut he could never quite find happiness. It was always just out of his reach, slipping between his fingers like the sands of time. But he had all the time in the world. He would be around forever. But that prospect was looking grimmer and grimmer with each passing yearanother year without much happiness.

The ghost sighed. How long had he been wandering that poorly lit street in a nameless town, thinking such depressing thoughts? Too long. He needed something to drink.

The blonde looked ahead to the right and noticed a lit neon sign in a window. Glowing letters made up the word "Budweiser", and yet another sign said "Coors". He stopped at the door, and another neon sign read "Open". It looked like that bar was open late into the night there. It wouldn't hurt to step inside for a little while and wet his palette.

So, after adjusting his shades on his nose and straightening his coat, he reached for the door handle and pushed forward. The old, wooden door creaked open, and light music and smoke seeped out through the opening. The music was nothing to really mention, just a little light country number to add to the smoky atmosphere. Several people sat at tables randomly placed around the establishment. A few played cards, and others just talked about how their day had been. No one was at the bar, where the bartender—a built man himself, but definitely on the aging side—stood reading over a newspaper lying on the counter.

As soon as he entered, everyone's eyes rose to meet him. He was used to it, though. He knew he didn't look exactly normal, but at least he was passable. He had also never been to the establishment before, so he expected everyone's reaction to be such. Instead of feeling awkward under their gazes, he strode to the bar, not scuffing his black, calf–high, pirate boots along the grimy floor, but not rushing either. He sat down on one of the many stools at the bar and rested his elbows to it, lacing his fingers together and eyeing the selection along the wall.

"Don't think I ever saw you in here before," the bartender spoke up, the first voice to breech the silence since the ghost walked in. "What brings a city boy like you here?"

City boy? He looked down at himself. Well, he _did_ suppose he looked a little gothic for those people. He _was_ inwho–knows–where.

"Just passing through," his smooth, tenor voice answered, sounding like sugary honey pouring from his lips.

The bartender raised a greying, brown brow. "Well, what can I get ya, stranger?"

The ghost perused the bottle labels for another moment. "Do you have anything stronger than what you have displayed?"

The man stared for a moment, as if determining the ghost's character, then smirked and reached down below the counter. He brought up a dusty, unlabeled brown bottle and clunked it to the counter. "This stuff'll lay you out with just five drinks. Think you can handle it?"

"I have never been one to back down from a good challenge."

Chuckling, the bartender flipped over a clean glass, dropped two ice cubes into it, then poured the liquor to fill it half full. With a handsome smirk, the ghost lifted the glass to his lips, offered a silent toast to the human, then downed the entire drink in one swallow, not even bothering to sniff it first. He hissed slightly as the alcohol burned his throat on the way down and sat the glass back to the bar, tapping the rim with his index finger, silently asking for another.

With a surprised grin, the bartender obliged, filling the glass back to half full. "I never saw anyone drink this shit like that. You must have a numb tongue, a throat made of metal piping, and an iron stomach."

The ghost smirked. "I just know how to handle my alcohol."

"Ya know, we hardly ever get different faces in here. It's almost refreshing having someone new show up. Where you headed?"

"Wherever my fancy leads me," the blonde replied, taking another long gulp of his drink. Again, he tapped the rim of the empty glass, asking for more. It was refilled a moment later.

"Drifter, huh? You ain't here to cause trouble to our little town are you?" the man asked, suspicion apparent in his voice.

"Sorry to disappoint you, but I _am_ just passing through. I have no desire to cause trouble to anyone."

"Good. We had enough of it a little over a year ago."

The ghost cocked a blonde brow over the rim of his glasses. "Oh? What happened, may I ask?"

"Buy another drink, and I'll tell ya."

He chuckled and downed his refilled drink then set it back to the counter for more. The bartender refilled the glass then set the bottle aside. He leaned onto the bar and clasped his hands, staring off past the ghost, but still talking to him.

"About a year ago, this guy named Kyle Bennington was living about five miles out of town here. He had a beautiful wife. I mean, she was absolutely fantastic. They had a little kid too: a girl about six years old. Everybody thought things were going great for them, but then all the sudden, something justwent wrong. From what I heard, Kyle went home one day from work and found both of them strewn over his front yardin pieces."

"They had been killed?" the ghost asked, paying undue attention.

"Well, I don't suppose they were still alive, I'll tell ya that," the bartender grumbled sarcastically. "Anyway, nobody knows what really happened. They never caught anybody, and there was no evidence of any kind o' disturbance or other violence, just body parts and blood all over the lawn."

The ghost took another swig of his drink. "What about this 'Kyle'? Could _he_ have been the one to do it?"

"Well, a lot o' people do say that Kyle flipped out and killed 'em both, then said he found 'em that way. But there wasn't enough evidence to convict him, so they had to let him go. But to tell you the truth, I don't think he could'a done it." He leaned back up to pour the ghost another glass ofwhatever it was.

"Why?"

"'Cause almost every night, that poor man comes into this very bar, sits at this counter, and says, 'Gimme a beer, Frank. I'm gettin' trashed.' It's sad, really. I've known Kyle for a long time now, and ever since his family was killed, he's never been the same. In fact, these last few weeks, he's been downright sickly. But don't ever think he'll ask for help, hell no. He'd rather die than have people help him out. He's one of those 'I can take care of myself' people." The aging man looked up to the bar clock above the door. "Actually, he's due in here any minute."

The ghost sat in silence for a time, simply processing the story. Now that he had heard all of it, he was curious about how the man's family had been killed. And he was interested in meeting this Kyle for himself.

Just as the bartender predicted, Kyle Bennington stalked into the bar a few minutes later and plunked down onto one of the barstools, putting an empty one between himself and the blonde.

If the ghost hadn't been looking, he would have sworn he had glanced at an eighty–year–old man. Kyle's hair was snow white. It fluffed up from his head in many directions naturally with a patch of light grey puffing up in front, the only deviation from the snowy white hair. He was thin and lanky, but not precisely skinny. And if the ghost's observations were right—as they usually were—it looked as though the man between twenty–five and thirty had lost a lot of weight in a small amount of time. If Kyle's loosely–hanging clothes were any indication, then he was indeed correctunless the human _liked_ to dress in baggy clothes.

"Gimme a beer, Frank. I'm gettin' trashed," he grumbled, reaching into one of his jean jacket pockets and pulling out a pack of Marlboro. He lit one up and puffed on it soothingly as Frank set a Rolling Rock before him.

The bartender winked at the blonde as if to say, "See? I told you."

Kyle swiveled his head to the right and finally took notice to the gothic–like stranger near him. The blonde was subtly looking over at him through a pair of dark shades. "What're you lookin' at?"

Shrugging, the ghost raised his blonde brows and turned away, concentrating on his drink.

"You look a little better than normal, Kyle. Get over that cold?" Frank asked, ignoring his paper in favor of speaking with his old friend for a while.

"Yeah. 'S just a cold," Kyle responded, tilting the bottle of beer to his lips and taking a long swallow.

"Ah, good. So, how was your day?" Frank asked on, standing behind the bar between the only two sitting there.

His white–haired friend chuckled after taking a drag from his cigarette. "Every time I come in here, you ask me the same thing, Frank. You should know the answer by now."

"Yeah, but I feel I gotta ask."

Kyle smiled. "Yeahwell, I appreciate it." He looked back over to "the Goth"—as he had quickly dubbed him—and noticed him subtly looking over again. "What?"

The ghost only shrugged and concentrated on his drink again.

"Why you wearing sunglasses at night? And inside?"

The ghost cleared his throat quietly. Hundreds of people had asked him the same exact question so many times, his response was automatic. "My eyes are extremely sensitive to light. I have to wear the glasses all the time, or I would be blinded. I apologize if it makes you uncomfortable."

"Mm" the human mused, taking another long drink and another puff from his cigarette. "Who the hell are you anyway? I never saw you in here before."

"As I said to Frank, here," the blonde repeated, indicating the bartender, "I'm just passing through."

Kyle chuckled and swallowed more beer. "Yeah, well, you better keep on goin'."

Sourly, the ghost resituated himself in his seat and returned to his drink. That was just the reason he disliked most humans.

Over two hours later, Kyle had already put away ten beers and was obviously drunk out of his mind. As soon as one cigarette was smoked to the filter, a new one was lit to replace the old.

The ghost could only mentally shake his head sadly for the poor man. If what Frank had told him was true, the human was in there every night of the week, doing the exact same thing ever since his family was murdered. The ghost sighed quietly. Humans were so frail of mind, body, and heart. They fell apart so easily, and it could take almost their entire lifetime to build back up from their fall.

It was a shame, really. But in all reality, it _was_ Kyle's fault for letting himself go like that. Or maybe not? Maybe he had been having a tougher time than others would in his situation? After all, Frank said that many of the townspeople thought Kyle to be the one to murder his family. Perhaps they weren't being supportive of him. Maybe instead, they were _blaming_ him, further adding to his torment. It could also be the reason he went to that bar. He could not only drink his sorrows away for awhile, but also talk to the one person who may still be his friend. The blonde–haired ghost smirked at his deductive reasoning. Maybe all Kyle needed was a little care? A friend? Someone who would stand beside him and help him through his pain—not that _he_ was up for the job.

The door to the bar swung open and bashed against the wall, startling many of the patrons, including the ghost. Everyone looked over to see a large man standing in the doorway clad entirely in black—jean jacket, tight jeans, and thick hunter's boots. He stared around with beady, dark eyes at each patron individually. As his shifty gaze passed over them, they would turn around and nervously go about what they had been doing.

The ghost guessed that man wasn't well liked.

"_Oh, shit. It's Donnogan again,_" Frank whispered, nervously shifting his weight from side to side on his feet.

"Who owns that black Jeep outside?" Donnogan's gruff voice was loud, carrying all over the bar easily.

At the counter, Kyle took another huge gulp of his beer. He was going to need it. "That's mine," he mumbled, lazily waving his fingers.

The huge man stepped fully into the bar and let the door slam shut, the noise startling many of the patrons in their heightened nervousness. "Then get out there and move it. You're in my spot."

Languidly, Kyle puffed on his cigarette again, trying to calm the shaking in his hands before anyone saw. Unfortunately, the ghost _did_ notice. "I didn't see your name on it."

Frank leaned over quickly, whispering, "_Kyle, now don't you be gettin' suicidal on me again!_"

Donnogan stormed up to the other human, spun him around in his stool, and grabbed up his jean jacket, lifting him to his feet with ease. "Don't get smart with me, you murdering little asshole! Get out there and move it!"

Smirking, Kyle lifted his cigarette to his lips, took a long drag, and puffed the smoke out in Donnogan's face. "Make me."

Hissing in anger, the huge man let his right hand slip from Kyle's jacket and pulled it back, ready to take his head off with one punch. "You son of a—"

He swung forward—

_BAP!  
_

Donnogan blinked in disbelief. The stranger sitting beside Kyle was gone from his seat and was standing halfway between them, Donnogan's fist caught firmly in his hand!

"I suggest you leave him alone. He seems to have enough problems as it is," the gothic stranger said quietly, not needing to raise his voice to show his authority.

What was he doing?! _Helping_ that human? Why in the world would he help that rude, obnoxious human?! But, for some reason, even though Kyle was drunk and not acting like himself, he was an intriguing character, and the blonde found that a good quality in someone. And even though he himself couldn't understand why he was sticking his neck out for a human—interesting or not—that didn't stop him from continuing on.

"Who the hell are you?!" Donnogan growled, snapping his fist from the ghost's lukewarm grasp and releasing his hold on Kyle.

The younger human plopped back to his barstool and scooted as far back as possible, watching the two exchange words and dirty looks. That guyjust stood up for himdidn't he? Of course, he was so drunk, he could have been hallucinating.

"Someone who knows right from wrongunlike you. I want no trouble. Just leave this man alone."

"His Jeep's in my spot! I always park there!"

"And I will repeat what he has already told you: your name isn't on it. Surely, there are other parking spaces out there," the blonde suggested, taking up a firmer position between Donnogan and Kyle. The rudeness of the gruff human only made him want to protect the white–haired man that much more. No one deserved to be picked on so ruthlessly.

"Oh, sure, plenty. But I want _his!_" Donnogan pointed to the smaller human behind the ghost.

The blonde only smirked and crossed his arms, standing proud and strong. "Sir, you _must_ be smarter than you look. Do you realize how childish you are behaving?"

"_Childi—_" he cut himself off in favor of a guttural growl. His right arm swung back, ready to deliver the blow that had been blocked before, but to the ghost's pretty face instead. Unfortunately, that swing was blocked as well and countered with a crunching blow to Donnogan's cheek. He stumbled to the side and brought a hand up to cup the already swelling tissue.

The blonde turned to Frank, bowing just slightly. "I apologize for the trouble, s—" A punch landed square on his cheek, and he reeled to the side, recovering a second later. The ghost jabbed his fist into Donnogan's gut, then he pulled back and cuffed him across the jaw, knocking the burly human out cold. The guy spun around on his heels and fell face first onto a nearby table, breaking it off its legs underneath and sending a few empty beer bottles flying and crashing to the floor.

The rest of the people in the bar stood, clapping and cheering, ecstatic that the jerk who had been harassing everyone for the longest time finally got what he deserved.

Smirking, the ghost nodded politely to the small crowd, then turned and took a seat back at the bar. "I apologize for the trouble, sir," he repeated to the bartender, able to get his statement out without interruptions that time. "That man really wasn't thinking tonight," he went on, inclining his head toward the unconscious human on the floor. "His rudeness needed correcting."

Frank blinked out of his shocked daze. "Uhyeah, yeah. That Donnoganhe's always been a rough character. Uhno one's been able to put 'im in his placeso to speak. You're the first one to ever stand up to 'im and come out with all your teeth intact," he said, still amazed at what just transpired.

He watched as several laughing patrons helped Donnogan into a chair and tapped him in his swollen cheek, trying to revive him.

"He got ya good, Jack!" one of them told the groaning man as several others held him in an erect position. "Now maybe you'll think twice, eh?"

Another guy clapped him on the back, making his head bob groggily. He told him he was a good sport, but eventually, he would have been ousted from his position as "asshole" sooner or later. The man then turned to the ghost at the bar and offered to buy him a drink in gratitude.

With a slight wave of his hand and shake of his head, the blonde politely refused, content to nurse the glass of strong alcohol already in front of him.

"Isn't he great?!" the guy yelled to his friends. "He kicks Jack Donnogan's ass, then wants nothing in return!" He followed up with elated clapping and whistling which others joined in happily.

Everyone continued laughing at Jack as he slowly regained his bearings, telling him he should shake it off and go back home to treat his dog to a kibble dinner, then go to bed. The irate human just growled at them and finally got to his feet, stumbling out through the door and onto the street.

Slowly, the excitement died down, and the ghost turned his attention back to the person beside him. Kyle had returned to his original position, hunched over the bar with a cigarette in one hand and the other hand wrapped around his eleventh half-empty bottle of beer. It seemed the excited events that just took place weren't even noticed by him.

Despite the very loud voice telling him to not get involved any further, the blonde opened his mouth and asked, "Are you all right?" Hardly any inflexion was used in the question, sounding like he didn't care if he was answered or not.

The tenor voice beside him and the strange, barely detectable accent that couldn't be placed roused Kyle from his daze, and he blinked almost sleepily, casting his eyes in the direction of the man who spoke to him. "Huh?"

"I said, are you all right?"

The human looked away again, lifting the smoldering cigarette to his lips and puffing heavily on it. "Why should you give a shit?" he rudely grumbled.

Frank, who still stood between the two men behind the bar, frowned and leaned toward his old friend. "That guy just saved you from the ass whooping of your life, and you say something like _that_ to 'im? You're too fuckin' drunk, Kyle. You should be a hell of a lot more grateful." He turned to the ghost, an apology in his smile. "Sorry 'bout that. He _is_ really drunk. I'm sure he's really grateful for what you did."

Waving the bartender off, the blonde lifted his glass of dark liquid and poured it through parted, pale lips. "Don't bother apologizing for him. I know about alcohol's effect on the judgment. He probably doesn't even realize I'm still sitting here," he grumbled disgustedly. Humans were sometimes the scum of the Earth in his eyes. _Ungrateful, weasly, little bastard._ He frowned with the thought.

"What the hell did you call me?!" Kyle shouted, whirling on the blonde, anger sparkling in his blue eyes.

The ghost leaned back on the stool, surprise pulling his brows up above the rims of his glasses. "UhI—"

"You're the tightwad, not me!" he yelled, pointing from himself to the stranger, opposite of what he spoke. "I've poured blood, sweat, and tears into my home, and I'll be damned if you lowlife mother fuckers are gonna come in and take it from me! I _own_ that house!"

"Uh" the ghost tilted his face toward the bartender for a little help.

Frank leaned over to him and whispered, "_Real estate brokers. They keep harassing him to sell his house so they can make money off it and the land. They keep arguin' that it's too big for one little guy to live in anymore. He gets busted up about it a lot 'cause of his family and all._"

Nodding in understanding, the blonde turned his attention back to a seething, white–haired human who was determined to stare at him. "Don't worry, Kyle. I have no interest in your house."

"Yeah, right," the man hissed. Instead of going on, however, he turned back to his beer and took a nice long gulp of it. "My great grampa built that house with his bare handsbeen passed clear down to me" He swirled the remaining amber liquid around inside the bottle languidly. "Nobody cares 'bout sentimental value anymore. Greedy bastards."

Frank sighed and nudged the man's forearm. "Why don't ya go home now, Kyle. It's late, and you're tired."

Nodding, Kyle finished off the last few drops of alcohol then sucked heavily on the filter of his cigarette, accelerating the burning of the embers until the entire thing was spent. He casually smothered the smoldering filter in a nearby ashtray while exhaling all that smoke and placed his empty bottle in front of his bartender friend. His feet pushed against the base of the counter in front of him, and he spun in his seat to face the ghost at his side. He stood, teetered, and fell forward, collapsing boneless against the blonde, forcing him to reach up and catch him.

The ghost sat frozen for a moment, Kyle's face plastered into his chest and the rest of his body dangling limply in his arms, sagging half onto the floor. That was something that didn't happen every day.

Frank sighed from behind the bar and shook his head. "Poor, drunk fool." He picked up the bottle in front of him and tossed it into a bin behind the bar, then sighed again. "He does that on occasion. I'm kinda used to it, actually."

Swallowing, the blonde looked down into the dozing face of the human. "He does this a lot? What do you do with him?"

"I drag 'im into the back until closing time. If he hasn't woken up by then, I take him home. But he chose a bad night to do this." Frank waved his hand out to indicate the entire bar. "This place is unusually dumpy tonight. I won't be done cleanin' till two in the morning. I'll be so tired, I don't know if I'd make it home, let alone to his place to drop him off."

The ghost let his gaze drift off into nothing, and for once, his mouth worked without direction from his mind. "Where does he live?"

Frank's hazel eyes snapped to the stranger, suspicion rising back into his tone when he answered with, "Why?"

Looking up, the blonde smirked, a motion that seemed quite natural for him. "I can take him home."

Surprise couldn't be contained, even if it wanted to be, for both the bartender _and_ the blonde. The ghost couldn't believe he uttered that phrase. Why should he care about what happened in those human's lives? Why should he care if that little white–haired one got home safely or not? It just didn't make sense! But, unfortunately, his offer couldn't exactly be retracted now, so he had to follow through—for the sake of his honor. And he was one hell of an honorable ghost.

Frank was still suspicious, however. Why would a complete stranger want to take a drunk someone home from a bar late at night? Scenarios played out through the man's mind, some tame, some wild and unbelievable. Could he trust that man—that gothic blonde who had already proved his amazing strength and intelligence? The things he could do to poor little Kyle made Frank shiver with uneasiness.

But on the other hand, the stranger was also very polite, polite to the point where he defended Kyle against the biggest asshole in the county and coming out without a scratch, even though he had been punched. The way he looked right then, trying his best to cradle the white–haired drunk without dropping or causing him harm with a strong grip, made Frank's apprehension lessen. The man seemed genuinely concerned, even though he tried to cover it up with a stoic attitude.

Perhaps the bartender should have faith in the kindness of strangers and let that blonde take his friend home. Besides, if the man did anything to Kyle or stole anything from him, Frank had one hell of a bloodhound back home. He would just let that dog go and follow it with a shotgun until he got what he wanted, which would be a blonde head mounted on his wall.

"Yeahyeah, okay. I guess you could. _But!_ I'm warnin' ya" he pointed with an accusing finger.

The ghost looked up to him, his eyebrows raised above his shades again. "Uh?"

"If I find out one white hair on his head has been harmed, or one piece of his belongings is missing, your ass'll be roasting in my oven, and my dog'll be gnawin' on your balls for a treat. Understand?"

A grin couldn't help spreading over the blonde's face as he took great humor from that threat. "I understand perfectly, sir. Your friend will be fine, don't worry."

Frank grunted in acceptance and turned his pointing finger from the ghost to direct to the right. "He lives five miles that way, almost in the middle of nowhere. You'll have to keep an eye out for his mailbox; it'll be on the right side of the road, and it says 'Bennington' on top. His driveway's right next to it, so you'll have to go slow 'cause it's hidden with all the trees around. After that, you got about a quarter mile back to his place along a dirt road—there's lots o' trees, bushes, an' weeds alongside of it. His place is a two story, grey, stone house. It'll be obvious. And I assume his keys are on him somewhere, but no pickin' his pockets, got it?"

The ghost smirked. "Believe me, I want nothing from this man. The sooner I get him to his home, the sooner I can move along with my own life." He readjusted Kyle in his arms and stood with him, only to rest him back to the stool until he could fish through his pockets. He found the man's keys in his jacket pocket and placed them on the bar until he was finished.

His pale hand disappeared into his own inside coat pocket to reemerge with a black leather wallet. Dexterous fingers picked through the pelf inside, pulling out two 100 dollar bills. He tossed them to the counter saying, "I hope this will be enough to cover the damage to your bar. I apologize for wrecking it a little." Reaching back into the wallet, he pulled out a twenty. "This is for that excellent alcoholand this" he added, pulling out another twenty, "should cover for Mr. Kyle's bill since he's a little too unconscious to pay it right now."

Frank stared at the pile of money, gaping. He tentatively reached out and picked up the bills, fingered them a moment to convince himself they were actually real, then folded them and stuffed them into his pants pocket. "Thank you! Sir, you are welcome back in my bar any day!" he announced proudly, reaching out to clap his hand to the ghost's shoulder. "What's your name?"

Smirking once more, the blonde nodded in kind. His pale lips parted, and he uttered his name softly, almost as if anyone else heard, they would be either shocked or appalled. "Endri." Without another word, he cautiously worked his arms around the limp body of a man named Kyle and lifted him gently, cradling him like a small child. After picking up the keys from the counter, he bid a farewell to the kindly bartender, turned, and made his way outside.

The drive didn't take that long at all, and soon, Endri had Kyle into his home and in his bed upstairs. He only hoped he got the right bedroom, but was almost certain he had.

When the human was resting comfortably, the ghost made his way downstairs, gazing at the moonlit surroundings with reserved awe. He couldn't resist taking his glasses off and walking all through the old house, taking in every detail of every room, every picture on every wall, even the pattern on the tiled floor of the kitchen and bathrooms. He never turned on a light, letting only the almost full moon outside illuminate everything for him, giving everything a milky blue hue that glowed with beauty.

That old house was breathtaking in such an atmosphere.

By the time Endri had finished exploring every nook and cranny of the building, it was past two in the morning. But he never regretted the loss of sleep. It was very rare for him to be in a home like that, and the gentle surroundings comforted him and lulled him into a peaceful mood that was also rare to his usually tortured being.

He touched all that could be touched. Being a tactile person, he loved the feel of things as well as the looks. He ran his fingers over the wooden walls, took his boots off and walked barefoot through the carpet of the living room, and even pulled his coat and shirt off so he could lay on the overstuffed sofa and feel its softness on his bare skin.

It was one of those things that was little known about Endri—that he was a tactile person. But it was why he only wore the softest of clothing, kept himself dutifully clean so he never had to feel his own dirt and grime, and why he hated touching anything with a harshly rough surface. Call him picky, call him a neat freak, call him whatever you want, but he would just smirk and say he liked to touch everything that could be touched and simply preferred the softer things.

So with that, the ghost carefully balled his trench coat and white T–shirt into a makeshift pillow, laid back onto that incredibly soft couch, threw his long blonde hair over the arm so it wouldn't get in his way, and slept.

It had been a long time since he ever slept so comfortably and soundly.

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Japanese / pronunciation / English Translation:

None this time

Next...more in the past... 


	13. All in the Past  Part 2

A story about life, love, courage, and testing ultimate friendship. What happens to Beetlejuice and his friends when one of their own falls into despair and changes completely? Nothing will ever be the same. This story is an **Alternate Universe** set five years after _Dark Shadows_ in the year 2008, and does **not** follow the intended story line. I repeat, this story does **NOT** follow the intended story line of the two stories (_A New Beginning_ _Dark Shadows_) included in my _Beetlejuice Afterlife_ series, which is why it is simply titled "Mania" and not "Beetlejuice Afterlife – Mania". If I have someone ask me why I would put this as a sequel, I'll ignore them, because, right here it says: **THIS STORY IS NOT A SEQUEL**. This story was just bursting to be written, but I have no intention to make it part of my previous series. It just happens to use that series' events as a prelude. I hope there is no confusion.

* * *

Part 2 of the long Chapter 12.

* * *

Mania  
Spencers13 – March 2003–March 2004  
R – Drama – Angst 

Chapter Twelve – All in the Past (pt 2)

Sweet, warm wind blew through the upstairs windows of Kyle Bennington's home a few miles from the small town of Brown Hill, Montana. The breeze was flavored with the succulent aroma of wildflowers and honeysuckle—so delicious!

The fresh scent drifted enticingly into Kyle's nostrils, rousing him from the most horrendous sleep he had had in a while. His eyes blinked open, slowly finding himself awake and feeling like he was about to die from the hangover raging through his skull. He sat up, mindful of his throbbing head, and slipped out from the blankets to stand and stretch fully.

Ahhh…it felt so _sucky_ to be alive!

The human strode to a window and gazed out at his side yard below, grimacing at the bright sun that was already burning in the atmosphere but providing pleasant heat to the land. Everything out there looked so fresh and green; it made a small smile drift over his lips. Maybe today was going to be a good day for once.

Turning and trudging from the room, Kyle took notice that he still wore the same outfit from the previous day, minus his shoes, jacket, and belt. He would have to give Frank a call and thank him for taking him home…again. But the call would have to wait until that damn hangover went away.

With a groan, the man made his way downstairs, one hand on the wooden railing and the other on his forehead, rubbing the sleepers from his eyes. He made it into the foyer without too much of a hassle, then slowly trod toward the living room on his way to the kitchen.

He needed a Tylenol. No, he needed _ten_ Tylenol.

Something out of the ordinary caught Kyle's attention, and he stopped in the entryway of the living room, eyes staring at the back of the couch that sat in the middle of the room facing a twenty-seven inch TV and a large stone fireplace. Over the arm of the overstuffed sofa dangled long, blonde hair, shining in the bright sunlight that filtered through the picture window on the front of the house.

_Oh, shit,_ the man thought suddenly. _Don't tell me I took some chick home last night! I don't even remember! I thought Frank brought me home…maybe I was wrong. Geez, tell me I didn't bang that chick on the couch then stumble upstairs to bed at three AM! That's the last time I get so drunk!_

Slowly, Kyle stepped forward, wary to see the face of the woman he thought he brought home for a one night stand. Where were his morals? Where was his devotion to…her—the only one that should have been for him?

_What's her name? Should I know? Dammit, I don't even **remember** a blonde at the bar last night!_ He gasped and stopped advancing. _Maybe I picked her up somewhere else. Maybe **she** brought **me** home…and took advantage of me since I was drunk._ Anger boiled deep in the pit of Kyle's upset stomach, making it flip-flop queasily. The thought of someone doing that to him—using him, making him go against his solemn vows—made him sick. That bitch was going to get a serious wake up call!

Swallowing the hard lump in his throat, Kyle stepped right up behind the couch and looked over, mouth open and hand poised, ready to wake the offending female and get her out of his house as quickly as possible. But he never finished his move, and no sound emanated from his slack jaw. His blue eyes stared, taking in the form resting on his couch.

A sleek, youthful, beautiful blonde was indeed sleeping on Kyle's couch, but that wasn't what shocked him to the core and made the bile rise in his throat. What disturbed him so much was that that sleek, youthful, beautiful blonde was a _man!_ He held his breath as said man stirred, yawning widely and blinking his eyes open.

Immediately, Endri knew Kyle was behind him, and he quickly closed his eyes and pulled his shades from under his makeshift pillow, donning them before the human could get a look at the sparkles in his irises. After he was securely disguised, he rolled over slightly and looked up to his host, a small, sleepy smile gracing his normally impassive features.

"Hello," he greeted quietly, voice a little scratchy with sleep yet.

"_Oh, shit!_" Kyle shrieked, eyes as wide a saucers.

The sudden shout startled the ghost, and he jumped a little, the rare smile lost to be replaced with confusion.

The human whirled and supported himself against the back of the couch, unable to look down at the man it supported on its cushions. A shaking had flew up to cup against his tightly squeezed eyes. "I knew this would happen someday if I kept drinkin' like I was. But I thought it was just a funny thought. I never imagined it would _really_ happen! My life is officially over! I'll never be able to show my face in town again. I should just kill myself _now_ and get it over with."

Endri sat up behind Kyle, that confused look still on his features. "What are you talking about?"

Kyle rubbed his hands over his eyes vigorously, then pulled them away and wiped them on his jeans, thinking better of it. Who knew _where_ his hands had been the night before? The thought made his stomach turn over again. "You. I can't believe I was so fuckin' drunk I brought home a man! Please!" He whirled again, hands gripped into the back of the couch and staring down at Endri with intense blue eyes. "Tell me we didn't do anything. Tell me we didn't…we didn't…" he gulped to swallow the bile rising, "d-didn't fuck last night."

Endri blinked at the question, it not registering that well at first as he hadn't been expecting it. But as soon as he realized what Kyle thought had happened the night before, a low chuckle rose in his throat. The chuckle escalated slowly until it turned into full laughter, and the ghost had to reach up and wipe the tears of mirth from his watering eyes.

Kyle frowned, not liking being laughed at. "What the hell's so funny?"

"You…you thought we had sex! _Ah-ha-ha-ha!_" Endri laughed on.

The human swallowed, feeling somewhat relieved at that. "We didn't?"

"Of course not," the ghost said, calming from his outburst. That was the first time someone had made him laugh like that in a very long time. It felt good to let go that little bit. "You passed out at the bar last night, and I brought you home. Your friend, Frank, would have done it, but he was too busy cleaning up for the night, so I volunteered to take you home. Although, I _am_ flattered you thought we had a night together. Makes me feel like I'm still desirable," he said suggestively, gracefully pulling off a seductive pose. Had his eyes not been covered, he would have winked as well, further teasing the white-haired human.

Kyle just seethed, not considering it to be good-natured taunting. He thought he was being made fun of—being made fun of in his own home, no less. "What the hell are you still doing here?" he growled. "When you drop someone off, you're supposed to leave right after."

Endri shrugged, sitting up fully and pulling his shirt out of the tangled makeshift pillow he had slept on. "Then I apologize. There are just some things I'm not up to speed on." He donned his slightly wrinkled shirt and tucked it into his jeans, then adjusted those to sit straight. His pale hand went back for his trench coat and he stood, picking it up and shaking it out. "If you want," he went on, pulling the coat around his shoulders and slipping his arms into the sleeves, "I can leave right now."

"Yeah, would ya?" Kyle hissed none too friendly, eyes narrowed.

The ghost froze and turned his gaze to the human, seeing the anger and disgust blatantly displayed in his blue eyes. Those eyes reminded him of the sky. It was like looking straight up into the sky and seeing the part of the atmosphere where it was darkest. But instead of those eyes being a pleasant sight, they were full of contempt and stared icily. It was almost chilling to behold.

Endri looked away from those hateful eyes and finished donning his coat with quick jerks of his arms. "Fine. Seeing as how I'm not welcome here anyway…" He picked up his boots from the side of the couch and pulled them on quickly, hastening to leave. The human didn't want him there, so he didn't want to be there. That was gratitude for you. He finally did something nice for someone after a while, and a cold shoulder was the thanks he got. He was almost disgusted to think that he too was once a human being. Humans were so harsh and heartless. He was never going to help another one ever again.

Grunting, Endri strode from the room, hands clenched to fists and not looking back. The sooner he left, the better. He made it to the front door in the foyer and opened it. A hand reached into his vision and held onto the oak door, keeping it open, and Kyle stood there, glaring, silently saying, "Good riddance."

The ghost glared back at him, pissed beyond words. But before he stepped over the door frame, he opened his mouth to say just one thing. "Your welcome." With that, he left, stepping out onto the stone porch and down the front steps. He rounded Kyle's black Jeep Wrangler and kept going, making a beeline for the dirt road driveway.

Kyle shut the door to his home and leaned his back against it, sagging and closing his eyes. The relief he felt in being alone again came with a wave of guilt. That guy had gone out of his way to bring him home last night, and he just kicked him out of his house without any gratitude. But the way that man laughed at him hurt to no end. His home was supposed to be a sanctuary for him, but a stranger had invaded it, slept in it, and made fun of him in it. He was supposed to be protected by those walls, but they were breached last night—breached and invaded.

Kyle felt unclean.

He let his mind drift for a moment, thinking back over the previous night's events. He had been very drunk, but he did remember something. It was fuzzy at first, but soon it became clearer and clearer. A blonde man in a black trench coat with dark glasses had been sitting beside him at the bar. He remembered being cold to the man, saying rude comments and thinking him annoying for displaying curiosity of him.

Then he remembered when Jack Donnogan came in, demanding he move his Jeep. He had been scared, knowing he was about to get the crap beat out of him, but not being able to hold back his contempt and defiance due to his drunkenness. But just when he thought he was done for, that blonde man in the black coat and shades had stepped in and saved him from a certain beating.

Kyle bit his lip and turned his head to the side against the door, looking like he was trying to see right through it and into the yard beyond. And then, that same blonde man in the black coat and shades had been kind enough to bring him home last night. And who did he see curled up on his couch in the morning? That blonde man in the black coat and shades. He must have been too tired to leave and just crashed on the couch, needing a place to sleep.

Blinded by hurt, shock, and anger, Kyle had just kicked out someone that had treated him better than anyone else had for a long time. And was that man really _walking_ away? Where was his vehicle? The human remembered briefly seeing his Jeep parked out front, so that had to mean the blonde had driven him home in his own car so he wouldn't have to go through an ordeal to go and get it in the morning.

Kyle hung his head low, remembering the last words the blonde spoke to him. "_Your welcome._" He was such an asshole! He just kicked that nice guy out of his home without even a thank you for helping him!

Quickly, Kyle threw the front door back open and bounded outside. He scanned his front yard, not seeing the blonde anywhere. He must have already gotten to the driveway and had walked out of sight, disappearing along with the dirt road into the trees that surrounded the man's home.

Not wasting anymore time, Kyle took off across the yard, his heart pounding in his chest, and his headache pounding in his head. But it didn't matter. He had to get to that blonde before he was gone for good. Rounding a bend, the human saw what he was searching for: the blonde man in a black coat and shades, walking slowly, almost as if sadness haunted every footstep.

"Wait!" Kyle shouted, raising an arm and still running to catch up.

Endri halted, surprised to have heard a voice shout for him. He turned and saw that white-haired guy running for him, and a frown formed instantly on his brow. He spun back around in a huff and continued walking a little faster than before, trying to ignore the ungrateful bastard that was following him.

"Wait!" Kyle shouted again, jogging up to walk beside the ghost and panting for a breath. "Don't…run off yet.… Wait a minute."

Endri halted again and crossed his arms over his chest, turning to glare daggers through his shades, just wishing the human could see it. "What do you want?"

"I'm sorry. Please don't go yet." The man panted, still not having caught his breath.

"Don't go? But I thought you wanted nothing more than to get rid of me. Make up your mind, hu—uh…Kyle." That was a close one. He had almost called the guy a human, not by his name. He usually did that whenever someone pissed him off. He would refer to them as "human", something known by ghosts to be derogatory.

"Look," Kyle started again, "I'm really sorry, okay? I didn't mean to hurt your feelings. I was just a little shocked to find you in my house, that's all. An' I got a hangover the size of this state, so it didn't help my attitude. I just didn't think."

Endri pursed his lips and cast his eyes aside, gazing off into the distance through the trees lining the dirt road they stood on. He crossed his arms tighter, his scowl deepening.

Kyle wasn't blind. He saw how tensed the blonde had become. "Please?" he pleaded softly, tilting his head into the ghost's line of sight.

The quiet plea sank right into Endri's chest and grabbed his heart, and he felt the sudden urge to drop all pretenses and accept the apology wholeheartedly. Why? Why did he want to do that? That bastard just treated him like scum, so why was he so ready to accept his apology?

"Hey, where's your car? M-Maybe I can run you out to it, so you won't have to walk?" Kyle asked, trying to be nice. He felt the need to patch the ragged gash he tore between them earlier, if only to ease his guilty conscience.

Endri sighed and blinked tiredly. Why wouldn't that human just leave him alone? Maybe if he answered his questions, the man would be satisfied, and he could leave. "I don't have one."

"Oh, uh…your truck, then?"

"I don't have one of those either."

"A van?"

"No."

"Motorcycle?"

"No."

"Moped?"

"No!" the ghost snapped.

Kyle held back a sheepish grin. "Sorry. Well, where's your _vehicle_, since I can't seem to guess what you have."

"I don't have a vehicle."

The human paused, letting that answer sink in. "Oh. Okay. Um…the train station? Would you like a ride there? Or the bus station? I could even take you to the airport, but that might take an hour or more, just to warn ya."

Endri rolled his eyes behind his shades, letting an exasperated sigh push through his pale lips. "I don't travel by any of those means. I walk, okay? Everywhere I go, I walk. I don't ride in cars. I don't take trains, busses, or planes. I don't ride bicycles or motorcycles. I don't even sail on _boats_. I—walk," he spat harshly, trying to drive the point home.

Kyle stood in stunned silence for a good portion of a minute. When finally his bearings returned, he cast his eyes to the ground unable to meet the cold gaze of those black glasses. "I didn't know that." He quieted again feeling a warm, yet at the same time, cool breeze tickle his face and exposed arms. He shivered involuntarily. "If you need some money, maybe I can—"

"Money has nothing to do with it," the ghost grumbled. "I simply _prefer_ to walk. Is there some problem you're having with that?"

The human looked up again quickly. "No! No, no, it's just—uh…" His eyes scanned around, looking desperately for an answer. "Are you hungry?" he asked out of the blue.

Endri was taken by surprise, and he uncrossed his arms and shifted on his feet nervously. "Why?"

Kyle smiled, the first genuine smile the ghost had witnessed on his face, and it was like the sun coming out from behind a cloud. "I can't let you leave without at least stuffing your face first! You gotta have fuel in you if you're gonna be walking, right?"

Endri quirked his eyebrow uneasily. "I don't know.…"

"Come-on!" the human piped, reaching right through all the barriers the ghost had ever erected around himself for the past six centuries and grasping his arm, tugging him back along with him toward the house. "It's the least I can do…to thank you." He looked back, still leading a hesitant ghost along the dirt road, and smiled again, making his eyes shine and face glow.

Endri smirked and ceased resisting, allowing himself to be lead forward by the human. He _was_ kind of hungry.

Eggs and bacon sizzled together in the same skillet as Kyle poked at them with a metal flipper. He stood before the stove, staring down at the cooking meal a little distractedly for at the kitchen table sat his unusual guest. The blonde man had his arms crossed across his broad chest and was leaning back in a chair, one leg extended straight out at an angle to the floor and the other bent at the knee with his foot flat on the tiles. He looked like he was relaxing, but the tension in his muscles could be plainly seen, even though all of his exposed skin was covered save his face and neck. He still looked apprehensive about the whole situation.

Kyle finally dished out two platefuls of eggs and bacon, buttered four pieces of toast and cut them diagonally down the center, and poured two large glasses of orange juice. He split everything equally between himself and his guest at the table and sat down opposite him.

Endri eyed his plate of oily food warily, and Kyle caught the uneasy stare.

"What's wrong?"

"Forgive me for being picky, but isn't this a little…greasy?" the ghost wondered, taking his fork and pushing the bacon and eggs around a little, watching as whatever he moved left behind a thick trail of oil.

Kyle chuckled and shoveled a forkful into his mouth. "Haven't you ever had country cooking? I grew up on this stuff. The greasier the better."

Endri looked up at the human across from him, confusion pulling at his brows. "But you're so thin."

"So?"

"You would think that after eating such fatty foods all your life, you'd be…bigger."

Kyle frowned, starting to take offense. He was a good cook! I didn't matter the fat content of his food. Besides, he had an overactive metabolism, keeping him rather scrawny for most of his life. It wasn't his fault. "Just eat it." _Asshole_, he finished in his mind.

Endri played with his food a little more, but soon took a bite. He was very surprised that it really did taste pretty good, but he held it in and ate in moderation. He wouldn't let the smug human have satisfaction in knowing he actually liked his cooking.

He also had to eat in moderation for another reason. It had been at least a week since he had eaten last, and he was absolutely famished. Normally, he would eat at almost blinding speeds, but to do so in front of the human would cause suspicion. He couldn't afford that right now.

"So, tell me," Kyle said suddenly after taking a sip of orange juice, "where are you from?"

"Lots of different places," the ghost replied cryptically, trying to concentrate on just his meal. Twenty Questions wasn't exactly the game he wanted to play right then.

"What's that accent of yours? I've never heard it before."

At that, Endri looked up, a little surprised. "You can hear my accent?" He thought no one could hear it anymore as it had been muddled over many years. No one had ever really noticed before. Why, he wondered, had Kyle?

"Juuuust barely," Kyle answered, spacing his index and thumb apart to indicate something small.

The ghost cleared his throat and took a sip of juice before replying. "Well, English isn't exactly my first language."

Blue eyes widened as the human crunched on some bacon. "Really? Could've fooled me. So, what's your first language, then?"

Endri could feel the sweat forming. He was nervous. Should he really say his first language was Nordic—a language not exactly spoken anymore? That would raise even more questions that he had no intention of dealing with. In that case, a lie would have to be told, even though he would rather not.

"Japanese," he answered softly, choosing his favorite language.

White eyebrows wrinkled in confusion. "But that's not really a Japanese accent, though. And you especially don't _look_ Japanese."

"I travel a lot," Endri snapped quickly. "My accent has been muddled by the rest of the languages I know, all right?"

Kyle sat back, feeling like he was being scolded. "'Kay, sorry." _Damn, that guy's defensive_, he thought to himself. _I wonder if I could get him to open up at all? His freakin' mystery is driving me insane! I gotta know about him, and his unwillingness to tell just makes him even more intriguing. It's his own fault._ "Where do you live?"

Endri froze, mid chew. Dammit, why couldn't things just be easier? He should never have accepted to eat breakfast with that man. He should have known a question session would have started eventually, and he really didn't feel like answering things about his intimate life. But then again, no one had expressed an interest in him for a long time, and it _was_ a nice feeling to know he was an intriguing character. Maybe…maybe he would go ahead and answer a few things. Why not? As long as he didn't compromise his superior position, there was no real harm in it.

"Hello?" the white-haired guy asked, tilting his head to look at the ghost's blank stare. "You okay?"

Endri shook off his daze and smirked, poking his fork through the remaining eggs on his plate, trying to stab them so he could get them to his mouth. "I'm fine."

"Where do you live?" Kyle repeated, not relenting.

Sighing, the ghost ate another bite slowly, propping the fork to his plate and supporting his fingers to it in a solemn position. He spoke softly, the softest his voice had been since he said hello earlier that morning. "I…have no home. I wander from place to place, staying where I can, eating when I can, living the life of a…drifter. You could say that I'm a…a wandering spirit…with no place to go or be, trapped in an unforgiving world with no escape in plain sight." He sighed again.

He had told the truth with that answer. He did wander. That was all he was anymore—a wandering spirit with no place to go or be. He was trapped—trapped on Earth with no way to get to where he rightfully belonged: The Neitherworld. He belonged there, and there was also someone else in that place—someone he desperately wanted to get his vengeful hands on. If only he could find a way to get there without spending decades upon decades of searching for those Worm Gate keys by himself.

At times, he thought about asking for help, but humans would never understand his plight. No one had ever understood him, not really, and he figured no one ever would. All the ghosts he had run into in the past had no idea how to get to the Neitherworld either. They were only good for showing him how to use his abundant powers. Other than that, his fellow creatures were a waste of his time.

Kyle felt even more guilt course through him when Endri told him he had no home and no place to go. He had been so mean to that poor man earlier, but at least he felt as though he was making up for it now with a big breakfast and a little time spent with someone to talk to. It had been a while since he himself talked to someone like he was now. A lot of his old friends had abandoned him soon after his family was murdered, leaving him alone to deal with his loss and heartache without their support. Some friends _they_ were.

Something clicked, something turned, and something was brought to light inside Kyle's head. With his high intelligence, higher than even an above average person, he realized that meeting that blonde in the black coat and shades might have been destiny. If all went according to the plan he concocted in about one second, then the plan he had formulated for himself previously would go through much more flawlessly.

Clearing his throat softly, Kyle lowered his head to hide his sudden trickster smile. "Man…that's gotta suck," he said quietly, not betraying his inward elation. "Can I ask you something?"

"What?" the ghost replied, leaning back and concentrating on all that was left of his breakfast, namely his juice.

"Would you ever like to settle down? Live in a nice place and have a home of your own?"

Endri closed his eyes behind his shades and allowed a wistful smile to play on his lips. "I've thought about it occasionally. But I've never found the right place, the right opportunity, or the right feeling. When I pick a home, it has to make me feel like it's a home."

Kyle nodded slowly, understanding and still scheming. "How does my place make you feel? Does it feel 'homey'? Like…do you think I did a good job in making it feel like a nice place to be?"

The ghost opened his eyes and smirked at the human across from him. If only that man knew he had traveled about the house the previous night, marveling at everything. But he would never tell him. He would never allow the human the satisfaction. "I must admit, Kyle, your home is quite beautiful." He let his gaze drift to the side, staring off at the surroundings. "These walls…they're old…but they're so full of memories. Some happy…some sad. You can almost feel the emotions locked in them." He paused for a few seconds. "Some might say it would give them a 'creepy' feeling…but me…I find it…calming."

He looked back to Kyle who sat and stared at him with an almost unreadable expression. It was a few moments later that he noticed a shining gloss over the man's eyes. It was the first real glimpse into the human's inner emotional turmoil Endri had seen thus far.

Kyle allowed a slow smile to drift over his lips, and he sat back in his chair casually, ignoring the sting in his eyes. "Tell me your name, stranger," he asked softly, using the 'stranger' as only a playful title for the man he suddenly wanted to call his friend.

The ghost smirked back. Why did that human not give him the same feelings of anger and resentment he held for most of the Human race? That man, even though they started out on a rocky beginning, actually made him feel as though he was welcome. He had never quite had that before.

"My name is Endri."

Kyle's smile grew. "Nice name. Very unique."

"Yes, you could say that," the ghost answered, his smirk also growing. A hand was extended toward him.

"Kyle Gavan Bennington," he introduced himself formally. "It's nice to meet you, Endri…?"

The blonde's smirk fell just a little. "Just Endri," he answered, reaching his own hand out and clasping it with Kyle's, shaking strongly.

The human just smiled on. "Okay…Endri."

They released hands and sat back into their chairs again.

"Endri, let me make you a proposition," Kyle said suddenly, catching him off guard.

"What would that be?"

Casually, the human indicated his new acquaintance. "You don't exactly have to be anywhere anytime soon, right?"

Endri quirked a blonde brow. "Why?"

"I was thinking," Kyle went on, leaning forward and resting his elbows on the table before him, "You have no place to go, but you're already here, in my house. What say you to staying here?"

"Ex_cuse_ me!" the ghost gasped, unable to believe someone had just offered him something like that. It had never happened before, and it completely blew his mind. That wily, white-haired human seemed to be giving him quite a lot of "firsts" and "never befores", and he was doing it all in a matter of minutes! To say the least, Endri was shocked and very curious as to what the man would say or do next.

"Hear me out. You have no home, but here's mine. I'm the only one living here, and it's a pretty big house, so there's plenty of room. You already said you liked the place, and you've sorta proven how good a person you are by what you did for me last night. So, I wouldn't mind having you around. You can stay as long as you want, and leave whenever you want, just as long as I know. I got plenty of food and upstairs bedrooms for you to pick from. And…besides…" he lowered his gaze, suddenly coming across as a little sad, "it's kinda…been lonely here…by myself." He looked back up, a nervous smile plastered on his lips that was obviously fake. "I guess I could use some company, _heh heh!_" he laughed, swinging an arm up to scratch at the back of his head in uneasiness.

Endri simply gaped. His mind had gone blank. He was utterly astonished that a complete stranger had offered him sanctuary in his home for as long as he wanted. "You…certainly have a lot of blind trust to ask a perfect stranger to stay in your home. What's the catch?" he was able to utter without a wavering voice.

"Oh, no catch! Just offer me at least one good conversation a day, and maybe help keep the place clean," was the answer.

"I don't know," the ghost uttered, standing abruptly. His coat was caught under the chair, however, and it tripped him up. He lost his balance and fell, hitting the tiled floor of the kitchen hard, and his black sunglasses flew off and skittered across the floor. "Ah!" he shouted, his hand flying toward his eyes to cover them.

Kyle was at his side in a second. "You okay!"

"M-My glasses!" Endri stuttered, half panicked, hand clamped firmly over his eyes as the human helped him into a sitting position. The dull pain from his fall went ignored in the light that his cover was almost blown by such clumsiness. "Where are they? I need them!"

"O-Okay," Kyle stuttered as well, patting a black clad shoulder. "It's okay, I'll find 'em. Hang on." He got up and searched around the kitchen, not seeing them right away. Crawling on his hands and knees, he searched under appliances until he found them resting in the dust behind the refrigerator. How they got back there, he had no idea.

"Found 'em!" he called happily. He reached in and pulled them out, his smile falling instantly.

A large chunk of the left lens was broken and missing.

"Woops…" he half whispered.

"What?" Endri asked, unable to see. "What is it?"

Kyle swallowed nervously. "Um…they broke."

"What!" Oh, great, that was _all_ he needed. He couldn't have himself revealed yet. It was too soon. The human would _never_ understand!

"Well…do you really need 'em? I mean, they're just sunglasses. Why do you wear 'em anyway?"

"I told you last night at the bar; my eyes are sensitive to light. I'd be blinded without them," Endri grumbled. Now what was he going to do? He hated telling others he had a weakness, but at least it was a fake one. But, still, he was worried that the human would find a way to use that fake weakness against him. It was what _he_ would do.

"I know. Stay right there. I'll be right back." Kyle stood from the floor and headed across the kitchen to another door. He opened it and descended a set of stairs, then reemerged a minute later with something in his hand. "Here," he said softly, taking the ghost's free hand and placing the object in his palm. "You can have these. They're just a prototype and only work half-assed, but they'll cover your eyes. I wouldn't expect you'd need the extra features anyway."

Endri fingered the object in his hand and couldn't help but smile. It was another pair of glasses. He couldn't believe it. Kyle wasn't exploiting his faux weakness to gain any upper hand. The human was actually _helping_ him…without any thought of repayment. Was that even possible?

Cautiously, he leaned his head down to let his hair cover his face and donned them. When he looked back up, he had to stifle a gasp. Brilliant blue waves were emanating from Kyle's body, seen through the lenses of those glasses.

The human took notice to the man's slack jaw and smirked. "You musta turned them on when you put 'em on. Neat huh? I invented those, you know. They detect energies given off of everything. People, plants, the fridge, whatever'll put out energy, those things can see. I made 'em to help with search and rescue, so finding people buried in like a crumbled building would be a lot easier."

Endri was, once again, awestruck. "_You_ invented these?"

Kyle's smirk grew. "You're lookin' at a certified genius. I got PHD's and doctorates to prove it." He refrained from buffing his nails on his shirt cockily.

The ghost almost screamed with elation. Kyle was a genius! Maybe _he_ could be the one to help him get to the Neitherworld! Maybe he could help him find the rest of the keys for the Worm Gates as well! Perhaps running into that wily, white-haired human wasn't such a waste of time after all. Now, to figure out how to get his help without revealing too much…

"Thank you so much, Kyle. These are amazing," Endri admitted, allowing the man to reach over and switch the shades off with a tiny button along the right arm.

"You're welcome."

The ghost grinned and sat back casually, propping himself on the floor with his hands. "You know…I could get to like staying here. That is…if the offer is still open?"

Kyle grinned right back. _Perfect.…_ "I'd be honored to have you stay in my home, Endri."

One final tear dripped to the dusty earth from Endrithi Juice's now muddy face. He scowled and pushed himself up, knocking his father, who had been cradling him, back. More determined than ever, the ghost sprang forward in a run. He had to find his best friend. He had to find his brother—the man that changed his afterlife into something worth having. If he failed…there would be no hope for himself. Kyle was his hope—the only hope he truly had.

* * *

Japanese / pronunciation / English Translation:

None this time

Next...death?... 


	14. Death Walks, Death Talks

A story about life, love, courage, and testing ultimate friendship. What happens to Beetlejuice and his friends when one of their own falls into despair and changes completely? Nothing will ever be the same. This story is an **Alternate Universe** set five years after _Dark Shadows_ in the year 2008, and does **not** follow the intended story line. I repeat, this story does **NOT** follow the intended story line of the two stories (_A New Beginning_ & _Dark Shadows_) included in my _Beetlejuice Afterlife_ series, which is why it is simply titled "Mania" and not "Beetlejuice Afterlife – Mania". If I have someone ask me why I would put this as a sequel, I'll ignore them, because, right here it says: **THIS STORY IS NOT A SEQUEL**. This story was just bursting to be written, but I have no intention to make it part of my previous series. It just happens to use that series' events as a prelude. I hope there is no confusion.

* * *

Sorry it's been a while.

* * *

Mania  
Spencers13 – March 2003–March 2004  
R – Drama – Angst 

Chapter Thirteen – Death Walks, Death Talks

"Endri! Slow down!" Beetlejuice called ahead as his son raced through some random forest faster than he could keep up.

Doomie honked from far behind them both as he was stuck and couldn't make it past the dense trees in his way.

"Just stay back there, Doomie! Stay there till we come back!" The ghoul raced forward again, trying to catch up to his son. _It's been two months—two whole **months** of searching and hardly taking any breaks! He's gone totally nuts! I can't control him anymore, and he's really, really scaring me. Dammit, boy, why'd this have to happen to you? _He continued trying to follow Endri even though it was much harder to see his brown jacket and boots than it would be his normal white shirt and grey boots. The boy was getting too far ahead.

_Maybe I shoulda worked out like he used to all the time. At least then, I'd be able to keep up! _A stitch tore though his side, and he grimaced but kept running. He couldn't afford to stop now.

_Lyds must be so worried! I never got the chance to tell her what happened. If I try to leave and see her, I'll lose Endri, and then I'll have **two** guys I have to worry about, not just one. _His eyes lit up._ I know!_ Continuing to run, he snapped his fingers, producing an already written letter. _This should do the trick. I hope she'll understand._ He extended the letter out, and it vanished into thin air. All the while, he still continued to run.

Huffing, Beetlejuice tried to follow his son, using his blonde hair as a guide when it flowed into sight through the gnarled, twisted trees and weeds far ahead._ I know it's not Kyle's fault, but I still think he's to blame for a lot a this. If he wasn't such a good person to Endri, the boy wouldn'tve been so affected when he found the guy kidnapped. No, I take that back. I'm glad Kyle was such a good friend, but I wish the effects of that weren't so rough on Endri now that the guy's missing. He means **way** too much to the boy. Poor kid; his mind's so broken and warped and hurt that he formed some kinda bond with Kyle that I don't think an explosive radioactive sandworm could separate. _He tripped over a hidden branch and careened to the forest floor. When he managed to finally clamor back to his feet, Endri was nowhere in sight.

"Dammit!" he shouted, starting to run again. It was a good thing Endri was such a powerful ghost. Beetlejuice could literally sense where he was just from feeling the familiar waves of energy that drifted from him. So, following his son's energy trail, the ghoul continued on as fast as he could, flying instead of running.

Endri zipped between trees, weeds, and Neitherworld oddities faster than he normally pushed his body. He felt no fatigue at all, only a dull numbness that reduced his physical senses to almost nil. He just kept going and going. He knew he was getting closer to Kyle, but that was all he could reason anymore—not where he was, what he was doing, or even who he was anymore. All he knew was that he was getting closer to someone who needed his help desperately. The only thoughts running through his mind were: _Must keep promise. Must protect._ And those two thoughts repeated endlessly.

Skidding to a halt suddenly, the ghost sniffed the air and grunted in surprise. He smelled something familiar. He stalked forward, sniffing along trees, bent down to smell the ground even. When he stood and sniffed the air again, he smelled it stronger there. The hint of green apples and pears drifted through the atmosphere, the source long gone from that place, but still nearby enough to allow the scent to linger. It was _Kyle's_ scent!

Without wasting a second, Endri sped off, following the new trail. He _must_ be close!

Moira paced worriedly around at the end of her own bed. On it lie Kyle, nude and looking as if he had been flung there carelessly. His arms and legs sprawled out a little, his body twisted just slightly. Bite wounds were evident all over him: under his upper arms; along his neck, shoulders, and chest; and inside his thighs and around bony ankles. Scratches and large bruises also covered large parts of his broken anatomy. What skin that wasn't blemished was white as a sheet, eerily matching his snowy hair. His head lie turned to the side on an overly extravagant pillow, his eyes blank, dilated, and staring. The beautiful, sky-blue irises were much darker than before, almost the color of deep ocean water. The man would be considered dead except for his shallow breaths.

Moira bit her lip. _I think I was too rough on him last time. And it seems that every time I take him, he gets weaker and weaker. Is this some Human thing that I don't know about? What am I doing wrong?_ She sat on the side of the bed and stared at Kyle's inert form. _First he fought me, then he accepted me for a few times, now he's unresponsive. I don't understand, even though he **did** accept me for a while, he still refused most of my kindness._ "Why would you not eat for me, Kyle–baby? Aren't humans supposed to eat?"

Kyle did not respond.

_But I thought he was enjoying himself with me. I thought he liked it rough._ _His eyes were always glazed and dilated with pleasure and desire._ She sighed and closed her yellow eyes. _His eyes are so beautiful._ Slowly, she crawled all the way onto the bed and licked gently along the human's cheek.

Kyle did not respond.

Moira frowned. _I don't get it. Pepper ranted that they did everything I've done to him, so why is he acting this way?_ She looked over his body, noticing the bite wounds almost for the first time. _Damn! Maybe Humans can't handle having their blood drained like ghosts! Have I drained him too much? Don't tell me I ruined a perfectly good human!_ A soft kiss was pressed to the almost dead flesh of the human's cheek. "I'm sorry, Kyle–baby. I didn't know I'd harm you by draining you so much. I won't do it again."

Kyle did not respond.

_What is **wrong** with—_

A loud bang resounded from the living room and Moira scrambled off the bed to go see what happened. She froze in the doorway of the bedroom at the sight of a blonde man standing not two feet away, panting and bearing his teeth in an almost permanent, silent growl. With a hand over her mouth, she backed away. The resemblance between that ghost and Beetlejuice was uncanny, and she realized that it must have been the ghoul's son, Endri. Kyle had been right when he said that Endri would come looking for him. Moira just hoped the human wasn't right about the ghost being without mercy on her.

In a split second, her eyes darted from Endri to Kyle on the bed and back to Endri. It was her fatal move. The blonde would have discovered sooner or later, but that movement only made it happen that much faster.

The ghost followed the woman's quick glance, his wild eyes alighting to Kyle in a less than flattering state. A gasp tore from his throat, and he rushed over, feeling for his friend's pulse and checking his wounds and bruises. He shook his companion a little, but, of course, received no response. A few more tries to get Kyle to acknowledge him were also lost causes. Endri whimpered and gently held the practically lifeless human against his chest, hugging tenderly and rocking softly.

Moira slowly eased her way out through the door, hoping to escape while the ghost was distracted. She remembered Kyle saying Endri had the Mania, and she certainly didn't want to contend with such a loose cannon, not to mention that he was Beetlejuice's son and more than likely stronger than hell.

Catching movement out of the corner of his eye, Endri looked over at the retreating woman and growled loudly at her. At the sound, Moira spun and tried to make a break for it.

Quickly, but gently, the ghost put his blood brother back to the bed, then leapt up after the woman. Barreling out through the bedroom door and into the expansive living room, he caught her, tackling her to the floor. She screamed and swung an arm back, catching the wild blonde across the cheek with her elbow, knocking him aside. She was quite strong for a woman. But, Endri never let the blow faze him, getting right back up. He grabbed her by the ankle and dragged her back as she had been trying to crawl away until she got enough leverage to stand. Two hands fisted together and pounded into her back. The resounding crack was sickening, and Moira fell limp, screaming in pain. The ghost rolled her over and straddled her thighs, one fist raised high above his head.

Pale skin connected again and again, pounding, beating, tearing, crushing. Bones broke and tendons snapped. Hair was ripped out by the roots and flung aside like carelessly uprooted weeds. Blood seeped—no, poured—almost endlessly from huge gashes and gushed as pale, red-stained fingers dug into the opened skin and tore the hole larger.

Endri beat Moira until she could no longer scream.

He put his two bloody hands to her shredded chest where ribs and intestines spilled out among the masses of ruined flesh. Leaning close, he whispered in a growling voice into her ear, one of the only things he left intact.

"_No one_"

Moira's one remaining eye widened as more tears escaped.

Powering up a blast, Endri shot it through her tattered chest, destroying everything it burned through, leaving a huge, gaping hole. He stood and backed away a few feet, welling up more energy into his hands.

Just then, Beetlejuice ran in, panting and hurting. He halted all movement when he saw what was left of a woman on the floor, and bit his tongue when his son shot her with the blast he had been building, disintegrating her completely. No trace was left behind but bloodstains and burn marks on the floor.

The ghoul looked to Endri, frowning. "Did you really have to do that? Who was that?__ Endri!"

Emotionlessly, the ghost turned without a word and went back into the bedroom. Scowling and too shocked to do otherwise at the moment, his father followed. When he saw Kyle and the state he was in, he gasped and tried to run over and help, but Endri growled at him, putting his body between them, ready to attack and destroy even his own father if it came to it.

Beetlejuice lifted his hands in defeat. "Okay, okay, Son. It's okay. I'll leave him alone." He backed away a little to prove his point.

The ghost kept a wary eye on his father, but relaxed a little and dropped down to his best friend. Gently, he trailed one bloody finger over the man's pale lips, making it look as though he was wearing deep red lipstick. He leaned down and whispered something to him that Beetlejuice couldn't hear, then leaned back up a little and licked off the same finger. With another finger, still bloody, he swiped strange shapes and designs over the man's cheeks and forehead, a few over his chest, one pattern on each thigh, and a different one on the tops of his feet. None of them held any deep meaning except for decoration. Endri was decorating Kyle in the blood of his enemy, wanting him to know that the woman was destroyed and vengeance had been attained.

With one final swipe of the fingers of his other hand, the ghost deposited four deep red lines back through the human's white hair on the right side. He whispered something else to his best friend, then wiped what was left of the blood on his hands and forearms along his clothes.

Through the whole testament of Endri's devotion and symbol of revenge for them both, Kyle simply laid and stared.

Beetlejuice could only observe the proceedings from afar. Confusion was written all over his face for his son's odd behavior, but he chose to just not dwell on it in light of the human's condition. "Looks like he's comatose. Diddid ya find him like that, Endri?"

The ghost didn't respond for a moment. He only stared down at Kyle. Slowly, though, he did nod a few times.

His father frowned. "And ya went an' destroyed the only person who could've told us what's wrong with him."

Endri lowered his head in shame and reached down, pulling the human into his arms and hugging him almost apologetically. A soft whimper escaped his lips to be lost in white hair.

"Come–on, kid. Let's get outa here and back to the Roadhouse. We can take care of 'im there."

Leaning up, the ghost gently wrapped the top blanket on the bed around Kyle's body. The limp form was lifted into protective arms and was carried out of the room and outside, the owner of those arms not even waiting for his father to follow.

Three figures occupied an upstairs bedroom in BJ's Roadhouse. The atmosphere inside and even outside the house seemed dark and somber. No one moved nor spoke, letting everything hang thickly in the air until it was almost stagnant.

Downstairs, a door slammed and footsteps clopped along the rotting floorboards of the living room. A voice called out, echoing in the hollow house.

"Beetlejuice! BJ, where are you! Are you home?" Lydia shouted.

A figure finally moved in the room, and Beetlejuice went over to the half open doorway to call downstairs, "Up here, Lyds!"

Stomps pounded up the staircase, and Lydia burst through the door. Immediately, she spotted her lover, missing for over two months, and threw herself on him, hugging and kissing. "Oh, BJ! I missed you! I was so worried!" She backed down a little and pulled out a wrinkled letter from her jacket pocket. "When I got your letter, I came right over. What's been—" Her eyes drifted behind him, seeing Kyle on the bed finally, and gasped, running over. "Oh, my—!" Endri jumped from his chair at the bedside and blocked her way, growling. Lydia recoiled, not expecting her lover's son to act so hostile toward her. Beetlejuice grabbed her arms and pulled her back away from his boy.

"It's okay, kid. She didn't know. Just calm down." He waved a hand slowly, indicating for him to calm.

The ghost growled a little more in warning but backed away and sat back down. He turned a worried stare to Kyle on the bed.

Lydia looked up to Beetlejuice. "Beej"

He shook his head. "_Shhh_" he hushed, hinting for her to watch.

She did so, seeing Endri sitting on the chair next to Kyle's bed. He held interlacing fingers under his chin to keep it aloft and stared for a while at his unconscious companion, still sporting strange decorations over the exposed parts of his skin, drawn in blood. The human was lying in his bed, covered up to his chest in a soft blue blanket, looking so still and pale, he could have easily been mistaken for dead.

After a moment, the ghost reached out with one hand and touched his brother's pale shoulder. When he got no response, he moved the digits up to brush some stray white and grey hair from the man's forehead, then pulled back to lock his fingers under his chin again, resuming the vigil.

Lydia looked up to Beetlejuice in question. He nodded for her to follow him, and they departed, making their way downstairs to sit on the couch together. The ghoul held his love close, missing the warm feeling of her body near his.

"What's wrong? What happened?" she asked softly.

Beetlejuice sighed. "Kyle was kidnapped."

"I know. You said in your letter," she said after swallowing with nerves.

"You should've seen Endri. He's completely flipped. He won't talk to me—hasn't since about a month ago. He—He's like an animal, babes. The way he went after that woman that kidnapped Kyleor at least I _think_ it was a woman." He shook his head. "It wasscary."

Lydia cuddled into him. "What's wrong with Kyle?"

"I don't know. He's comatose or something. Traumatized, I guess. I have no idea what went on while he was with whoever had him, but it fucked 'im up pretty good. If he doesn't wake up soon and eat, he's prob'ly gonna die. But we can't exactly do anything 'cause Endri won't let anyone within five feet of him!" Frustration was easily heard in his voice. "The boy has good intentions, I guess. He doesn't want Kyle hurt anymore, but if he doesn't snap out of it and realize the man needs medical help, the guy's gonna die!"

She tried to shush him, knowing anger would get no one anywhere. "Have you tried telling him?"

"It's like talkin' to a brick wall, but even a brick wall would give me more of a reaction than what I've been gettin'. Damn his fuckin' Mania!" He slammed a hand to the couch arm.

Lydia sighed and just wrapped her arms around Beetlejuice's neck, hugging him tightly.

He relaxed into the embrace and hugged back. "_Sorry, babes. I–I'm just_"

A loud, despairing cry resounded from upstairs, and the couple looked at each other for a split second, then leapt up and dashed back upstairs to Kyle's bedroom. Endri was sitting on the bedside, lightly shaking Kyle's shoulders, a look of panic etched over his tired countenance. He leaned down to listen against the human's bare chest and bit his lip, whimpering.

Beetlejuice held Lydia to him tightly. "Oh, shit. That can't be good."

She gasped, a hand over her mouth.

"Endri's not gonna take this well." Anger flushed over his cheeks and brought his brows down. "Dammit, kid, I _told_ you, you needed to take 'im to a hospital!"

The ghost grabbed his head, growling, before shaking it and turning his attention to Kyle again. He switched to sit facing the other way on the bed and leaned down, lifting the human's chin and pinching his nose. He opened his partner's mouth and interlocked his own over it. Inhaling through his nose, he pushed that fresh air into Kyle's mouth, filling his lungs, then drew that same air back out and out through his nose, breathing for his best friend without breaking contact. He repeated the life-giving breaths four more times, then leaned up and put both hands laced together over Kyle's heart and pressed firmly a few times. Immediately after, he went back to breathe into his mouth again.

Lydia turned slowly and hid her face into Beetlejuice's chest, not wanting to watch. There were many things she prided herself in being able to watch without fear, revulsion, or being disturbed, but that was just one thing that hurt too much to witness.

The ghoul cupped her head to him, whispering to himself, "_Come–on, boyyou can do it._"

Endri switched to half stand, half kneel over the side of the bed to get a better angle. He jumped Kyle's heart again, then went back to breathing for him. Between one breath, he broke contact with his mouth and leaned up just slightly, almost growling the human's name out in a desperate attempt to get him to stop kidding around and wake up. After the word left his lips, he dove back down to breathe for him again, his hands trembling where they held his friend.

Lydia felt the tears stinging and mumbled into Beetlejuice's chest, "Just stop. Please. Let him become a ghost. Don't make him suffer anymore."

The ghoul held her tight, still. "He won't listen, babes. He likes humans more than ghosts. He's gonna try to keep Kyle alive for as long as possible."

Endri pumped Kyle's heart again. He threw all he had into it, gritting his teeth and panting, his mind screaming that it wasn't possible. Kyle couldn't die—not his best friend, the only one who ever truly understood and gave a damn about him!

How many times had he saved that man's life now? It had to number in the high teens—twenties, even. Most of the time, the human didn't even realize his life was in danger, and he didn't even realize his life had been saved from that danger. There were a few times, however, when he caught a glimpse of his death and knew he had been saved by his friend. One time in particular came to mind, only three years after they had metno! Now wasn't the time to take a trip down memory lane! Kyle was lost if Endri didn't put forth every effort to save his life! If he let the human die now; let his precious flame of life extinguish; let his body become cold and empty; let him become a ghost with no heartbeat and a cool touch instead of a soothing heartbeat and warm, comforting touch; _Endri_ would be lost! It was Kyle, the _human_, that consoled him and made him feel welcome, cared for, and warm. If he became a ghostit would never be the same.

It was _Humans_ he loved! _Humans!_

Endri threw himself onto his best friend and crushed him in an embrace. His entire body shuddered and shook in his grief, but he forced himself to tear away and continue on. He wouldn't quit until Kyle actually showed up as a ghost and told him to stop it. His mouth found his friend's again, and he breathed into him, never moving his lips away, just sucking air in through his nose and forcing it down into Kyle's lungs, then pulling that air back through his mouth and out through his nose again.

He breathed for his friend once. Twice. Thrice.

Kyle inhaled on his own in a long, dragging breath, his entire body shaking. Excitedly, Endri held the human's hand that had reached up and trembled. He smoothed white hair back and grinned down into the pained expression that greeted him. At least it wasn't a passive, dead one.

Beetlejuice sighed in relief, and Lydia looked over finally. She was happy, of course, but a little angry as well. She knew things would never slack off for Kyle until he finally died. And was she the only one who thought the human might be angry at Endri for keeping him alive when he was in such poor condition? Was she the only one who thought of the future and not just the present? She knew Kyle would be in for a rough time ahead, and it would take a long time for his wounds, visible and not, to heal.

The human huffed and shook and squeezed his eyes. He didn't register a hand holding his or his hair being touched at first; he only whimpered and tried to even his breathing. Endri couldn't hold his grin back and rested his forehead to his friend's for a moment in relief, then leaned up and kissed there a few times.

"_Uh_" the man grunted, making the little noises in his distress and confusion. Finally, he opened his eyes only to see a face very close to his. "Ah!" He panicked and flinched, trying to roll over.

Endri was just confused. Why would his best friend be afraid of him? "Kyle? Kyle?" He touched the man's shoulder and shook it a little. "Kyle"

The human trembled at the ghost's touch and tried to shrink away, breathing rapid and shallow.

Not daring to go over there, Beetlejuice called, "Calm 'im down, boy! He shouldn't be freakin' out like that right now."

Endri struggled with Kyle a little until he got a hold around his thin waist and flipped him back onto his back. He pinned him lightly, cupping his face in both hands and leaning his forearms and elbows to bony shoulders to keep the human from thrashing too much. "Kyle! Look! _Look!_"

Kyle stopped abruptly and looked up at the sound of a familiar voice. He blinked, letting his eyes finally focus. Pale lips parted a little and cerulean eyes roamed the ghost's figure, wondering if he was really there. "_Uh_" was the only thing he could utter after just coming back from the dead.

Endri just nodded and smiled. "It's me. See?" He released the human's face and took up one of his hands, holding it in both of his, massaging lightly. "See?"

Staring at the clasping hands, Kyle frowned in confusion and looked back up at the ghost's face. "_Mah'Dri?_"

Endri nodded, grinning. "Yes. Yes, it's 'Dri." He sighed in incredible relief and leaned down to kiss all over the hand he held. "I'm so sorry, Kyle. I should have looked harder. I should have found you sooner. No, I should never have left you alone! This is all my fault!" He nuzzled his face into the human's hand apologetically.

Kyle swallowed several times, his eyes continuing to search the ghost's form, trying to really see if he was real or not. He just couldn't seem to believe he was really safely back with his best friend. Reaching a shaking free hand out, he lightly ran his fingers over the blonde locks dangling close-by. Was it really real? It _felt_ real.

Endri looked up as a couple tears fell. A guilty smile spread over his lips, swollen from crying and trying to revive his best friend.

"_Endri?_"

The ghost nodded again, smiling more broadly.

Kyle suddenly became agitated and yanked on the hair he had reached out to touch. He tugged on the hand the ghost held as well, trying to get him to come closer. The blonde did so eagerly, scooting close and half reaching, half being pulled down to hug his best friend. He cradled Kyle in his arms and hugged and caressed his hair and rocked him as the human sobbed loudly onto his shoulder.

Beetlejuice and Lydia looked at each other almost sadly, then turned and left out of respect.

* * *

Japanese / pronunciation / English Translation:

onegai / oh-neh-guy / Please.

Next...lost faith... 


	15. A Faith Lost

A story about life, love, courage, and testing ultimate friendship. What happens to Beetlejuice and his friends when one of their own falls into despair and changes completely? Nothing will ever be the same. This story is an **Alternate Universe** set five years after _Dark Shadows_ in the year 2008, and does **not** follow the intended story line. I repeat, this story does **NOT** follow the intended story line of the two stories (_A New Beginning_ & _Dark Shadows_) included in my _Beetlejuice Afterlife_ series, which is why it is simply titled "Mania" and not "Beetlejuice Afterlife – Mania". If I have someone ask me why I would put this as a sequel, I'll ignore them, because, right here it says: **THIS STORY IS NOT A SEQUEL**. This story was just bursting to be written, but I have no intention to make it part of my previous series. It just happens to use that series' events as a prelude. I hope there is no confusion.

* * *

A note to Kelly since I can't seem to get an email to her. Kelly wrote me saying:

_ hi lacey  
  
i ma starting two new stories at the moment and i am try to get the others that need finishing.  
  
i have read you laters story Mania and it is pretty good but why are you suddenly turning your characters gay? hey i don't mind people being gay but it can make over pepole feel a bit sick. why don't you put claire and Endri back together again? you do a great job with that bit.  
  
kelly P.S. please email me back on this eamil adress.--  
K. Heighway_

I tried to email you back, Kelly, but there must be something wrong with your address and what I tried to send didn't go through. So I'll give you my reply here:

_Hello Kelly! I'm glad to hear from you again! It's been a long time, and I hope you're doing well. I look forward to getting new chapters for the stories you haven't finished yet, and I also look forward to getting your new stories. ___

As for my characters in Mania being gay, they are not. I guess it may seem that they are, but there is a line between gay and strong bonds of friendship. They have not engaged in any homosexual acts like kissing on the lips or having sex, so they are not gay. There are a lot of stereotypes out there saying things like 'if two men hold hands, they must be gay'. Or 'if two men have an intimate conversation / hug / wipe each other's tears away / kiss each other anywhere (not including lips), they must be gay'. The only thing that makes a person gay is them actively engaging in sexul relations with another man. You can stereotype someone until you're blue in the face, but the only thing that makes them truly homosexual is them engaging in the act. And obviously, Endri and Kyle do not do that. I'm sorry you seem to be confused about it. Claire and Endri will not be getting back together in the story either. Claire is the one who triggered Endri's insanity. Why would he want to be with her again? He is angry with her. I hope you understand now.

I hope to hear from you again soon!  
Lacey  


I hope this also clarifies any "doubts" about those characters' "prefrencess" that people seem to have. I guess I don't speak clearly enough when I say "friendship". I'm not offended by people thinking that Endri and Kyle might be gay, but I'm getting pretty tired of repeating myself over and over that they aren't. Cripes, maybe I SHOULD write a slash story about them. 99

* * *

Mania  
Spencers13 – March 2003–March 2004  
R – Drama – Angst 

Chapter Fourteen – A Faith Lost

Beetlejuice popped into Lydia's apartment in New York and floated about, looking for her. His searches halted in the bathroom where his beautiful human lover was currently engaging in a hot, relaxing shower. His footsteps were silent and stealthy as he snuck up on her, in the mood for a good prank. He held his breath and the snicker inside and stopped right before the closed shower curtain, listening to the water run over his beautiful, naked human. The wonderful thoughts almost made him falter and announce his presence without a scare.

But the opportunity was too good to pass up.

In a swift motion, the ghoul popped his head through the curtain and shouted, "Boo!"

Lydia screamed and backed against the shower wall until she realized just who had almost given her a heart attack. She swung her fist, trying to punch him right in that obnoxious face, but he pulled his head back through the curtain before she could make contact, and her fist smacked into the plastic instead.

"Oh, BJ, you jerk!"

Beetlejuice cackled. "You know it!" He listened to her curse him out for a moment before saying, "Ya know, babes, I woulda figured you'd be used to crap like that by now."

"No one likes being startled, Beej," Lydia grumbled.

He just shrugged.

"What are you doing here anyway? I thought you were going to be 'busy' all day."

The ghoul checked his red fingernails with a critical eye. "Turns out, I wasn't. You doin' anything today?"

She hummed in thought, running her lithe fingers through her wet hair lazily. "Nothing that I can think of. Why?"

"Good, 'cause we're goin' out for dinner."

"Really? Oh, that's so sweet, Beej. Why?"

Beetlejuice shrugged and put his hands into his pockets, propping himself back onto nothing. "Why not? Can't I treat my girlfriend nice?"

"What did you do?"

"Nothing!" he shouted indignantly.

Lydia laughed. "Okay. Let's goas soon as I'm done with my shower."

"You mean as soon as I'm done _helping_ you with your shower." He grinned evilly and jumped through the curtain, leaving all of his clothes behind to fall on the floor.

Lydia squealed and Beetlejuice cackled behind the curtain. Silence save the running shower fell over the bathroom, then male and female giggles filled the area.

It was bright outside with the Neitherworld sun shining and the atmosphere pleasantly warm. It was a little dry out that day, but nothing anyone couldn't handle. After all, what did it matter when everyone was dead? Everyone milled about as always, doing their own little things and not caring what anyone else was doing unless it involved them in some way. It was how the Neitherworld usually worked on any given day of any given week of any given month, and so on.

Inside the rightmost upstairs bedroom in the Roadhouse, the curtains were drawn tightly until only a crack of the sunlight without seeped through and lit a seam along the wall opposite the window. The room was darkened considerably so as to need a light turned on within to be able to see anything clearly.

A shadowed figure moved quietly across the crooked, wooden floorboards of the room toward the window, reaching up and trying to close that annoying seam of light that broke through the curtains. No matter how it tried, the fabric would not stay closed, so eventually, it gave up and walked away.

The figure opened the closet door and disappeared into its inky depths only long enough to find the light cord and pull on it. Able to see clearly with the help of a single naked bulb, Endri bent down until he sat on the floor of his closet cross-legged. His hands reached out and pulled boxes, plastic bags, and about two pairs of shoes out of the way in his quest to clear the right side of the enclosure. The floor there had an oddly shaped plank of wood that looked as though it simply rested there and wasn't nailed down to anything.

Not long after agreeing to move into the Roadhouse, Endri had discovered the loose piece of wood, and used it and the small empty space underneath to all his advantage. In there, he kept his most prized possessions: the things he wanted no one else to know he had or to get a hold of.

Carefully, he lifted the plank away and stood it up against the wall next to the hole it created. He reached in and lifted out a small wooden box, only about three inches square and one inch high. It was plain, without even a stain to darken and finish the wood. He lifted the lid off and gazed fondly inside, seeing the pendant his mother created for him resting comfortably on a piece of cotton. Gently, he traced one finger over the ancient-looking carving of a beetle and around the oval edge where delicate swirling patterns resided. The beetle had always been a symbol of his family, and Endri rather liked the style it appeared in.

On a whim, he lifted the pendant from its box and hooked it around his neck, letting it slip down between the ever diminishing muscles on his chest to dangle there elegantly. He fisted it into his palm reverently and closed his eyes, allowing a small smile to drift over his lips.

"_Mama_" he whispered so softly, his mouth hardly even moved to utter the syllables. _I wish I could have known you._

After a moment of silent tribute to his permanently absent mother, he released the pendant to let it dangle freely and closed the empty box and set it aside. His hand went back into the secret compartment and fished around for a moment before he came back up with another box, that one long, about a foot, and several inches high. It was made of highly polished pine with a silver latch and hinges. On top was one design burned into the wood, a simple scroll that wasn't anything worth staring at. The rest of the box was smooth and unblemished and highly cared for.

The ghost ran his fingers over the scroll on top slowly and stroked the polished wood softly, removing a light layer of dust with every swipe of his fingers. When the entire box had been wiped clean, he rested it to his lap and dusted his fingers off on his blue/grey sleeping pants, the only thing he wore at the moment. He felt like lounging today.

When his hands were clean, he took up the box again and so very gently unhooked the latch. It was obvious, whatever that box contained, it was worth more to Endri than anything. The lid was lifted, and green eyes alighted to what they had been searching for from the beginning: one simple, white envelope, a little yellowed and worn from the passage of time and handling. Its paper had softened as well and was covered with more than a few crinkles. It was a long envelope, pregnant from its contents that more than likely had been removed and replaced one too many times.

Endri reached in and gently removed it, closing the box once it was in his hand. He set the box aside and turned the aging papers over in his hand to view the plain back. Written with black pen in the center was one word in small, but neat handwriting: "Endri". The ghost's eyes glossed a little at reading his name on that envelope once more.

He already knew what the pages inside contained, had almost memorized the words on them from reading over them again and again since he had been given it. But something was bothering him to pull it out of its hiding place and read it again. Perhaps it was just for nostalgia, because every time he looked over the parchments inside the envelope, he would feel a little homesick. But what he was homesick for, he had no clue. Perhaps it was just want for the past. Maybe he wanted what he once had but knew could no longer have.

Such was the way with the advancement of time. It hurt, sometimes.

Gently, Endri turned the envelope back over and opened it, taking out the several folded pages it contained and unfolding them to run his eyes over the greeting.

_Endri  
_

Such a simple greeting, really—just a name, no comma, no "Dear" or anything like that. Simple. Such was what Endri expected from Kyle at the time. The human had only written the letter a few days after they met and had no reason to be more familiar than simply using the ghost's name.

Endri could still almost smell the ink of the pen, and was glad the extensive letter wasn't written in pencil. It probably would have faded by now.

Trying not to get distracted, the ghost ran his eyes over one line at a time not really reading, but looking at the words and letters. He was glad Kyle's handwriting was clear and easy to read. It was printed because the human never really liked to write in cursive, and the letters were small and precise, almost like a personalized font printed from a computer.

The date the letter was written was up in the upper right corner, "May 10, 1992". Such a long time ago, it seemed. It had been sixteen years since the letter had come into his possession, and at times, he wished he had never found it on the pillow of the bed he had been sleeping in at the time. But still, he liked to read over it once in a while, just for old time's sake. And this time, something had been bothering him to look at it again, so he gave in to temptation.

_May 10, 1992_

Endri

I know you probably think this is a little odd, me writing like this to you when we hardly even know each other. I just met you about four days ago, but from the small amount of time we've spent together, I've been able to judge your character pretty well. Don't get me wrong, this isn't meant to be rude or pry into any private life I'm sure you have. But I want you to understand where I'm coming from, and why I'm writing this letter to you, and why I've done what I've done.

Now comes the classic line: By the time you read this, I'll be dead. Lame huh? But it's true, no matter how dumb and cliché it sounds. Please don't think that any of this is your fault, because really, how could it be? You're a really nice guy; I want you to know that first and foremost. You also seem like a respectable person, someone who takes very good care of what he owns and cares about. You're also a very deep person, someone I would probably really get along with and enjoy long, deep discussions with if things were different.

I have a feeling, that if things weren't the way they were, if I didn't have to die right now, we would have been very good friends, best friends, even. And in a small way, I regret not getting to know you more before I killed myself.

Now, you're probably thinking, "Why would he do such a thing! Didn't he have anything to live for! Shouldn't he try working out his problems? What could be so bad!" And I'll answer each one in turn.

I'm doing this because I can't stand life anymore. As you may or may not know, my family, my wife and little daughter, were killed just a year ago. One year ago today, actually. I thought I was going to die right then, when I found them, to tell the truth. I don't even want to describe what I saw, and I'm very glad you never asked about the pictures on the walls and fireplace mantle. It would have hurt too much to talk about. But that's just the way you are, you know. It was almost like you knew I was in pain, and so you didn't say anything or do anything to make me remember it. You've been a nice distraction, and I want to thank you for that.

Where was I? Oh, right. My girls were my life. When they died, I died. I've just been a walking, talking, breathing corpse for the past year, and I'm getting sick of it. I've tried my hand at moving on, of leaving the past behind me, but it seems impossible for me. There's probably things in your past that you can't let go of too, so you probably understand where I'm coming from.

_Actually, I tried killing myself before I even met you. A few days after it happened, and things started to settle in—the accusations, the prying questions, the searches, the hateful glares of "how could he do such a horrid thing to his own family", I kind of snapped a little. Okay, a lot. I went into a rage, or so my friend Frank told me because, honestly, I don't remember any of it. I was crying, screaming, thrashing, denying everything, throwing a general shit fit, you know. And then I found a knife in the kitchen. Frank was there the whole time, and I don't know if I'm grateful that he was or not. I tried to stab myself. Had that knife only inches from my heart. I really wanted to die. I wanted the pain. I wanted my vision to blur and go black like I've heard dying described before. But, dammit, Frank had a good hold on my arm and wouldn't let me take the plunge, so to speak. He made me promise I wouldn't kill myself. He made me promise to give life a chance and to work through my problems and not take the easy way out. At least for a year. And, dammit, promises had always been a weakness of mine. Once I made a promise, I never went back on it. I've never broken a promise in my life, and I wasn't about to start, so I let Frank take the knife, and I gave up._

I really did try to make things better for myself, as I said before, but nothing ever worked for very long. Eventually, the police and all the officials left me alone, but that's when everyone else started moving in. I was fired from my job because they didn't want a murderer working for them anymore. That forced me to start selling my inventions to the patent office or any company that would produce them so I could pay my bills. No one in town would hire me because they all thought I did it. Oh, I had a few friends that believed I was innocent, but not enough to sway the judgement of the entire county. Everywhere I went, all I got was accusing glares, words whispered behind my back, and so on, and so on. Too many people want me dead and not enough want me alive. I don't even want to be alive. It just hurts too much.

And so, I've been basically alone and drunk for the past six months because I had to be sober for the first six months when they held the trials and drug tests and searches.

And now I bet you're wondering, "What does any of this have to do with me? Why did a man take me into his home only to kill himself a few days later? Is he trying to make it look like the vagrant did it?" No offense, please. I don't think that way about you at all. It's justyou knowwhat you might think. Okay, I'll stop before I piss you off. Isn't that funny, though? A dead man pissing someone off? I can't help but laugh as I write that.

Let me explain. For a few months now, these jackass real estate brokers have been trying to attain my property so they can make money off of it for themselves. They argue that it's too big for little old me to be living here all by myself. The land is to expansive for a single man to keep up. Sell now, while the selling's good! Yeah. Right. This house and the land have belonged to three generations of Benningtons, and I'll be damned if I let people like them get a hold of it and rip it up and sell it off.

That is where you come in, Endri, my friend. I'd like to depart, thinking of you as my friend, if you don't mind. You seem responsible. You seem to have a good head on your shoulders. You seem to know the value of right and wrong, good and evil. And I just plain like you.

I hereby leave all of my property, house, and everything contained therein to you, Endri. I knowI know deep downthat you will take care of my things for me. I know you won't sell to the highest bidder. I know you won't leave and let my property to rot. You aren't that kind of person. I would hope that you find yourself a nice, beautiful woman and settle down with her and raise a family in my house. Those rooms and walls were meant to have laughter and joy in them, not empty wails of despair from long dead ghosts (even though I hate to use that word). I don't want to have to haunt an empty, falling down house. I want to be able to float through every once in a while and see you and your family living happily.

I leave you with no expenses except for utilities and maybe property taxes. The house was left to me with no payments since it was built by my great grandfather's hands. There is a safe hidden in the living room wall behind the TV. The combination is 4-2-26. In it, you will find all of the money I had saved in the bank that I took out yesterday, about $20,000. It should give you a nice, healthy start. You can also have my Jeep. It's paid off as well. Now you won't have to walk everywhere.

I wish you could see this goofy grin on my face right now. It makes me feel so good to be able to give all of that to you. Like you'll really appreciate it. And I just know you will. In all honesty, I think you deserve it for as nice as you were to me when we met. And plus, I'm giving it all to you because I have no beneficiaries or relatives left in my family. I'm the last Bennington in my bloodline. That alone causes me such pain.

Now a few requests. My body is probably upstairs in the master bedroom bathroom. I ask that it be buried next to my wife and little girl. I don't want anything special. Just put me in a box and throw me in the ground. As long as I'm next to them, I'll be eternally happy. Make sure you show the DA and police and judges and whoever else this letter. I don't want any blame landing on you because of me.

I also apologize for any trouble anyone puts you through because of me. Don't let people scare you off, even if they don't accept you right away. They didn't accept me either. I hope what I've given you won't be a burden, but I know you have to be a resourceful person, and I know you'll be able to make it through any tough times that follow my death.

For the short time I've known you, you seem to be one of a kind. I've never met someone quite like you, Endrieven your name is unique. And even though I never got a look at your eyes, I'm sure they're full of wisdom and kindness, because that's what I can see from you all the time. You try to hide it behind hardness and a stoic attitude, but I can tell. You're a warm, kind soul that just needs a good friend and someone to believe in them. Well, I believe in you, Endri. I don't know your past, I hardly know much about you at all, actually, but that isn't stopping me from believing in you.

Like I said before, I almost wish it didn't have to be like this. I would like to get to know you and be your friend. Words can't describe how grateful I am of you, that you saved me from a sound beating, that you provided such good company for me in my last days, that you are hopefully accepting to inherit everything I own. I hope that you will think of me fondly, and remember me years from now as that nice white-haired guy that gave you a new start.

There I go grinning again.

It's getting late in the day, and my time is coming to an end. But I'm not scared. I welcome what is to come. And maybe, just maybe, whenever you die, we'll be able to meet again and finally get to know each other and be the friends I'm sure we were destined to be. In the meantime, take care of yourself, and I wish you only the best.

Your friend,  
Kyle Gavan Bennington

Light tears trailed down Endri's cheeks and dripped onto his forearms and lap. The overwhelming emotions he felt swirled and wouldn't allow him much movement or thought beyond what the precious letter contained. Such compliments and warm feelings his best friend had showered him with through those words written so long ago—they had always choked him up. But now, that time was the first time he had been able to release the deep feelings that always came with reading the letter.

Carefully, he shuffled the pages back into their original order, but kept the last page on top for the time being. He continually stared at the closing and the name signed. He was such a fool back then.

He had found the letter the same night he saved Kyle's life, but it was only _after_ he had done so. If he _had_ found it before he saved his friend, the man would have died by the time he finished reading it. He was very grateful things worked out the way they did, or he wouldn't be where he was now, with Kyle still alive, and they the best of friends, even brothers now.

Again, he told himself he was a fool back when they first met. When he first read over the letter later on that evening when Kyle was safely in bed and no longer posing any danger to himself, he read over it with detached reserve. He remembered feeling a little awed that the human entrusted him with his possessions, but that was the farthest he allowed his emotions to travel. And when he read over the closing, "Your friend" he never even paid it any mind.

Kyle had stated his friendship way back then, but all Endri wanted was a professional partnership in his search for the keys to the Worm Gates and a way to the Neitherworld. He had constantly pushed the man away, when in reality, he had needed the human's friendship more than Kyle ever needed his. Endri was far more broken than Kyle ever was.

And he was still broken.

More tears leaked from the ghost's eyes, and he lifted the pages of his precious letter away so they wouldn't get dripped on. He could tell that his dear friend again felt some of those same feelings that had raged through him when he wrote that letter. The human was depressed as of late and would hardly talk to him, only simple, curt phrases. He avoided everyone and kept to himself a lot more often. Several times, he even lost his temper with Endri, yelling at him when he had only been trying to help.

Kyle was hurting again, and Endri didn't know how to help this time. Of all the times he had helped the human's problems in the past, this time, he was at a loss. This time, he couldn't fix it, and it was really scaring him.

Between his dripping tears, the ghost pulled the precious parchment to his chest and cradled it gently. How could he ever help his dear brother?

"Table for two?" a busty waitress asked, eyeing Beetlejuice's strange striped suit and crooked grin.

"Do you have a booth?" Lydia asked.

The brown-haired waitress nodded with a polite smile and grabbed the necessary amount of silverware and menus. "Right this way."

Once they were set up and the waitress rattled off the special for the day, she took their orders for drinks and scuttled away to retrieve them, leaving Beetlejuice and Lydia to look over the menus.

The ghoul sighed and cupped his chin in his hand as his eyes scanned over the culinary delights listed. "That's the thing with Real World restaurantshardly anything edible." He frowned, eyeing a fish platter warily.

"Which is exactly what I think whenever we go to a Neitherworld restaurant. To each his own," Lydia told him, perusing the sandwich selection.

"Honestlywhat do you see in 'biscuits and gravy'?" A look of disgust painted his features.

She turned the menu over. "Oh, they have biscuits and gravy?"

Beetlejuice made a face and closed his menu. "Whatever." He stared over at Lydia as she continued looking for just the right meal and smiled dreamily at her. "I love you."

She looked up and smiled. Her small, pale hand reached over and held one of his own in a warm gesture. "You're so sweet, Beej. What was that for?"

He shrugged. "Just thought I'd say so you'd remember."

The waitress returned with their drinks and took their orders. Beetlejuice just trusted in his lover's decision and ordered what she had, not wanting to really eat _anything_ that restaurant had to offer. The brunette left for the kitchen, and the couple remained siting in the booth smiling at each other.

Lydia adjusted her place mat and stared at it as she did so. She was uneasy looking into her lover's eyes as she voiced the question, "How was Kyle today?"

Beetlejuice sat back and sighed, letting his eyes drift closed. The subject of that human fatigued him a little. "Still keepin' his tough act up."

She shook her head sadly.

"Ever since that day, he refuses to talk about it or even acknowledge anything happened to him. But if you look hard enough, you can tell it's eating him away from the inside like a double–ended leachworm."

Lydia made a disgusted face. "BJ."

He smirked but let it drop a lot quicker than normal. "One of these days, it's gonna hit him hard, an' if he doesn't let it out soon, he might not be able to come back from the falljust like Endri." He looked down, the thought saddening him.

"Well, isn't Endri helping him?"

"He's tryin', but Kyle won't even talk to _him_. It's almost like he's mad at the kid for some reason. But then he turns a one eighty and tries to be extra nice to him. He's really confused about somethin'."

"Maybe because Endri saved his life when he might've wanted to just die. He could be upset or disturbed over that." She took a sip of her drink through a straw. "Like, he could be angry at him for making him continue to live, but then be thankful that he _is_ still alive."

Beetlejuice shrugged at her suggestion. "Somehow, I don't think that's it though. That seems too shallow. I think whatever it is, is somethin' a lot deeper."

Kyle sighed deeply, staring blankly into his computer screen. It displayed an unfinished line of code he just couldn't find the completion to. It was so simple! So why couldn't he think of it!

"_Argh!_" He stood and pushed his chair back under the desk roughly, jarring the contents that sat atop it. His fingers found his hair and ran through it, massaging and pulling at the scalp and strands, not enough to hurt, but enough for him to feel it.

It was so frustrating! On that computer screen was the culmination of his life's work—the most perfect operating system ever conceived. It was his baby. But he couldn't concentrate enough to give his creation birth, and it had been that way for the past few weeks. Every time he sat down to do some work, his mind went blank. At first, he thought it was simple writer's block, so he had immersed himself in inspirational materials: his old notes and published books about programming. Nothing had worked. For long hours, he paced before his keyboard, trying desperately to think. At times, he almost picked the entire machine up and tossed it out the window, he was so frustrated. But if he had done that, all his previous work would have been for nothing, and if he couldn't figure out what to continue with now, he certainly wouldn't be able to rewrite the entire thing.

Grumbling obscenities under his breath, Kyle kicked at the foot of his bed. He felt trapped, unable to breathe. He had to get out of there before he went stir crazy. Storming over, he grabbed up his old jean jacket from the small closet and donned it, then spun immediately for his door. But just when he gripped the knob, he froze.

Out thereout there was He shivered. Out there was nothing but pain. He wasn't safe beyond those four walls he surrounded himself with. He had never headed his friends' warnings that the Neitherworld was a dangerous place for Humans, but now, he knew they were right. The Neitherworld _was_ dangerous—deadly, even. Hell, he wasn't even safe inside the Roadhouse: the home of the most feared and revered ghoul ever, so who was to say he was even safe up there in his bedroom? The hand that held the doorknob shuddered, and Kyle released it before it rattled. He still needed to get out of there, but where could he go that was safe? Blue eyes widened, and he stepped away from the door slowly, almost afraid someone or something had heard his silent thought. He knew where to go, but then came another question: how to get there? It had been a long time since he traveled to that place; he wasn't sure if he remembered how to get back there.

Deciding to just give it a shot, Kyle closed his eyes softly and focused in his mind one single point—the point he wished to travel to. Hopefully, with the small bit of power Endri gave him that formed his butterfly, he could travel to where he needed to go.

His mind lit up with a soft, comforting blue hue, and he relaxed everything to the warm feeling that suddenly surrounded him. A not entirely unpleasant feeling of lightheadedness washed over him, and he swayed a little on his feet. He reached an arm out to steady himself against something and felt a cool, coarse surface beneath his palm. His eyes drifted open and blinked a few times to focus.

Beside him, on both sides, ran old brick walls that extended high above, and hard concrete stretched out beneath his feet. He was in an alleyway, and the street beyond looked sparsely populated but familiar. Smiling, Kyle realized he had made it to his destination without a hitch. He knew he would be safe there, in an old familiar town in the Real World. Buthe looked down at his hands. The familiar hum of Endri's energy was gone. He had used it up when he transported himself, and now, he would never be able to form his butterfly gift again. That saddened him, but, he realized, it would have happened eventually, and since it was now gone with no way to get it back, he decided to not dwell on it.

Feeling much better about his situation, he strolled casually out onto the street and down one block to a familiar establishment. Brown Hill Bar still seemed open for business after seventeen years, and Kyle couldn't have been happier about it. He pressed open the door and entered the smoky, country atmosphere, breathing in old scents and feeling right at home. He shuffled up to the bar and plopped on one of the stools, putting his elbows to the counter and reading over the labels on bottles of alcohol behind it.

The bartender finished pouring some lager for a customer, then finally turned to the newcomer, ready to take his order. The pudgy man's eyes rounded out, and he froze to his spot, staring at the white–haired man who just then noticed him as well.

"Frank!" Kyle half shouted in disbelief, looking his old friend up and down.

"Kyle!" the bartender responded, eyeing his customer in the same fashion.

They stared at each other for long seconds until, finally, Frank could take it no more and leaned right over the bar to grab up his skinny friend in a rough embrace.

"_Ah–ha–ha!_ Look at you! How long's it been!" he enthused, clapping Kyle on the back rather hard.

He grit his teeth and winced at the pain that jolted through his ribs from healed but still tender wounds, but otherwise let no other signs show of his discomfort. "Frank, long time no see! Wow, I can't believe you're still working in this dingy old place." He backed away and smiled warmly at his old friend, now a lot older than he remembered.

Frank stared at his companion, shaking his head in disbelief. "Holy shit, Kyle, look at you. You haven't aged a day! You look _exactly_ like I remember you! How'd you do it?"

Kyle smirked and cast his eyes aside, simply shrugging in answer. "You're lookin' pretty good too, Frank. How old're you now?"

The greying man laughed and patted his pudgy tummy. "Yeah, right. I'm sixty–one and feelin' it. What are you? Thirty? Thirty–three? I thought for sure you were older than that though," he questioned with a quirk of his bushy eyebrow.

His white–haired companion chuckled, fingering the stained wood of the counter. "Forty–three."

Frank's hazel eyes bulged. "Damn, man, lookin' _good!_ I bet you're still a huge hit with the ladies, eh?" he asked, winking and nudging with his elbow.

Kyle paled just slightly, and his smile fell a little. "Youcould say that."

Frank chuckled and swatted at his friend's shoulder, not seeing his slight distress. "So, what can I get ya? It's on the house tonight."

His smile reset, Kyle gazed at the selection again. "I don't care, really. Something hard. I don't wanna know who I am in the morning."

An upraised brow was his answer for a few seconds before the pudgy bartender turned and sorted through a few bottles along the wall. He pulled out one that was half full, cleaned out a fresh glass, dropped some ice cubes in, and poured the alcohol. "Here," he offered, handing the drink over, "get tanked."

Kyle smiled appreciatively and took a few quick sips to taste before chugging half the glass.

Frank just shook his head in bewilderment. "Man, you must still have some serious problems."

A smirk drifted over the man's face as the alcohol burned his throat and settled warmly in his stomach. "You don't know the half of it."

"Mind keying me in on it?"

"Yes."

Shrugging, Frank stood straight only to lean his hands back to the bar after seeing no one needed his services right then. "Listen, Kyle. You really had me worried. I thought you were dead."

"Maybe I was," was the quiet, distant response.

"I might be gettin' older, but I still got a good memory. The last time I saw you, you were so piss drunk, a total stranger had to take your ass home in your own car. I thoughtI thought he mighta killed ya and took whatever he could cram in your Jeep an' hightailed it."

Kyle smiled at his friend's concern. "He wouldn'tve done that."

Realizing, Frank nodded. "You still hangin' around with him then?"

With a nod, the younger man poured the rest of the alcohol down his throat and clunked the glass back to the counter. "Fill 'er up."

Frank just shook his head and did so. Kyle didn't seem to have changed all that much. He still drank like it was the end of the world. The bartender wondered if he still—

"Got a light, Frank? I'm cravin' some nicotine."

Yes, Kyle still smoked apparently. "Sure, man. Anything ya want." He reached into his own back pocket and pulled out a mostly full pack of Marlboro.

"All right, my brand. You're a lifesaver, Frank." Kyle sighed, pulling one out and accepting a light from his friend.

The older man just stood and watched his old friend delve into past habits, trying to drown out the pain in superfluous ways. "What've you been doing all these years?"

"Living the life of a dead man," came the cryptic answer followed by a puff of grey smoke from paler than usual lips. A light cough followed. He wasn't used to smoking anymore but didn't care. He would force himself to remember how to handle the smoke and burning feeling even if he choked to death. Then againmaybe that wouldn't be so bad.

"What happened to you, Kyle?" Frank asked in a different way. Despite the way his friend was acting, he knew something was bursting to be talked about, otherwise he wouldn't have come into a bar to get intoxicated in order to drown out some deep seeded worry or pain. "I'm here t' help, ya know."

"I know."

"Talk to me."

"I don't think you could handle it."

"_Ha!_ You should hear half the shit these drunks come in here with. _I_ could tell _you_ stories."

"Tell me a story," Kyle asked softly, staring blankly ahead of him.

"Why don't _you_ tell me a story?"

"I'm tired of my stories. I want to hear something new. Please," he asked again before taking a long drag from his cigarette.

Sighing in defeat, Frank shrugged and consented at last. "All right, fine. A few weeks ago, this guy came in"

They talked long into the night. Even after Frank closed up the bar and kicked out all the other patrons, he allowed Kyle to stay and drink and smoke as much as he wanted. The man just seemed to need a release from a huge tension that had been mounting for what had probably been years. They laughed and spoke fondly about a lot of things, all the while keeping a safe distance from the subject of Kyle's past.

The human was just a little more than wasted, and was beginning to open up more, even though he didn't want to. He just couldn't help himself at certain intervals, but at least he was able to keep himself from bawling like a baby in front of his old friend.

At long last, two o'clock came around, and about that time, a depressed air seemed to descend upon Kyle like a hooded black cloak. His body sagged, and his eyes grew dark. His hands shook, and he couldn't keep a cigarette or swig of alcohol out of his mouth for very long.

Frank yawned and twirled back and forth on the barstool behind the counter, noticeably glancing at the clock. "Look, Kyle, it's late. Why don't you go home, and I'll give ya a call tomorrow, then we can finish."

Kyle shook his head lazily. "II'm afraid to go home."

Raising a brow, Frank stopped twirling in his seat and asked, "Why?"

The younger man just shook his head again.

"What'sa matter, Kyle? You got problems at home?" the bartender tried to pry gently.

"Problemsyeah." The tip of Kyle's cigarette glowed bright red as he inhaled on the filter, feeling his lungs burn pleasantly with the hazardous smoke. He had re-learned his old habit quickly.

That time, Frank chose to stay quiet. He felt that if Kyle really wanted to talk, he would on his own.

"Nothin' but death has followed me my entire life. Every single person I care aboutgone," he said slowly, the alcohol already in his system making him sluggish. "My wife and little girl 're deadthen the woman left me. Left me hiiiiiigh n' dryyyy."

"Yourdead wifeleft you?" Frank asked, making sure that was exactly what he heard.

"Yeeep. Fuckin' left me. Oh, but not before saying I's a hot lay, can't forget that." White hair shook back and forth, and an empty chuckle escaped Kyle's lips before he parted them to make way for more of his drink. "Then my best pal goes insanenow that's a trip right there. Jus' fine for the loooongest timethen, _blam!_ Wacko." He chuckled again. "But that's all right. That is o–kay."

Frank just shook his head in bewilderment. Kyle seemed to be teeming with strange stories.

"Th' guy split in _half!_ You shoulda seen it!" He inhaled on his cigarette again, finishing it off and going right for another one in the almost empty pack lying beside him. He lit it up and puffed on it soothingly for a moment, a more serene look dominating his once brooding features.

"Over the last seventeen years, FrankI seen th' most freaky shit you could ever imagine. Monstersbats that turn into dogs 'r somethin'freaky fuckin' shit, right? I been livin' in that kinda environment for like" he paused to think, his eyes heading for the ceiling, "almost eight years. An' none o' that shit ever bugged me all that much, ya know? Jus' like, every once in a while, I'd have a bad dream, or I'd hear noises or somethin' an' couldn't sleep, but that was 'bout it, ya know? ButI–I can't go back. 'S too dangerous there anymore."

Kyle looked up at his old friend, his eyes full of fear, hands shaking around his glass and cigarette, and for the first time, Frank noticed the dark rings that circled around the man's tired eyes. He obviously hadn't had a good night's sleep in a while. His face was gaunt. His clothes hung off his bony frame, and he truly came across as having had more than one rough time over the years.

"Ya know what happened t'me?" he asked quietly, almost whispering. The quivering in his voice didn't go unnoticed either.

Frank shook his head, indicating for Kyle to continue.

"I–I" The younger man stopped, gulping the rest of his drink and immediately sucking on the end of his smoke afterward. His wild eyes darted off to the side, looking to the end of the bar, almost glaring.

The bartender leaned forward, his curiosity piqued. "What happened?"

Kyle's attention was drawn back with the snap of his head. He swallowed heavily and cast one more glance to the end of the bar before parting his lips. "I waskidnapped."

Surprised, Frank said, "You're shittin' me! By that guy that took you home!"

Another hollow chuckle reverberated from Kyle's throat. "I wish."

"What happened!"

Flustered, the white–haired human inhaled his cigarette deeply, then pulled it away from his lips and pounded that hand to the counter. "Dammit, will you just show yourself already and stop eavesdropping! I know you've been there for a while, Endri."

"Who?" Frank asked, following Kyle's sudden angry gaze to the end of the bar.

A man was suddenly standing there, and the bartender jerked in surprise when he saw him. Slowly, the blonde rounded the end of the bar and stepped toward the other two men. His long, black trench coat flowed gracefully behind him, and his long hair swayed gently around his shoulders and face. Endri basically wore the same outfit as when he and Kyle first met, though this time, he had forsaken his glasses and the black leather pouches on his thighs.

"Hey, buddy," Frank warned, standing, "bar's closed. Why don't you go on home." His hand disappeared under the counter and stayed there.

Endri stopped one barstool away from Kyle and cast a friendly smile in Frank's direction. "Sorry for intruding. I was looking for my friend," he said, nodding at Kyle.

"Hey" the bartender began, shaking one finger at the newcomer, "hey, don't I know you? I swear, I seen you before."

The ghost smirked. "You're correct. A long time ago, I offered to take Kyle home instead of you when he was too drunk to drive himself."

"I _knew_ it!" Frank shouted, grinning. "You _are_ him! You're also the guy who punched out Jack Donnogan! _Ha–ha!_ That was the most eventful this bar had ever been!" He reached out with a hand. "Nice ta see you again!"

Endri smiled in kind and shook the man's hand.

"What're you doin' here, Endri?" Kyle grumbled, cutting off the pleasantries.

The ghost looked down at his friend hunched over the bar and nursing a cigarette since all of his booze had been guzzled previously. "You were gone almost all day. You should have known I'd come looking for you."

"I came here t'get away from the fuckin' Neitherworld, and now you come t'take me back?" the human grumbled none too friendly.

"Not really," Endri sighed, taking a seat next to his friend. "We don't have to go back right away." He reached over and plucked the half smoked cigarette from his friend's fingers and slid it between his own lips, puffing on it softly.

"Since when did _you_ smoke?" Kyle huffed, pissed his plaything had been taken.

"Since I took this cigarette from you," the ghost answered nonchalantly, inhaling again.

His human companion looked away, grumbling to himself.

Endri pulled the cigarette from his mouth and gently tapped the ashes into a nearby ashtray. "So, don't let me intrude on your conversation. Please, go on with whatever you were saying before I popped up," he coaxed, sounding much like his old self. In fact, it was very hard to notice the ghost still _had_ the Mania since he appeared, but there was a perfectly good reason for it. He was only concerned with Kyle's welfare ever since he had been taken, and, as a result, had forgotten about his own problems. A crude way to get his Mania under control permanently? It was only up to time to decide.

Frank nodded, glad to get back to that subject. He was concerned for his friend and wanted to know what happened to him. "Yeah, that's right. Thanks," he told Endri. "Kyle? You were sayin' somethin' happened to you? You were kidnapped; is that right?"

The younger human's eyes glossed over with emotion as he fumbled with the crumpled cigarette package, trying to dig out another one. "I don'tI don't wanna talk about it."

"Come–on, Kyle, you were ready to a minute ago," Frank argued softly.

"Well, not anymore!" Kyle snapped, blue eyes flashing.

"Kyle," Endri spoke up quietly, not looking at either human. He lifted his stolen cigarette to his lips, but spoke before taking it into his mouth, his breath making the smoke curl and dance away from the ever shortening tube. "Don't let my presence keep you from what you were going to say."

"_Argh!_" the man in question shouted in frustration. He stood from the warmed stool on shaking legs and pointed a quivering finger at the ghost. "You fuckin' wanna know! Fine! I'll tell you, if you'll just get off my back about it! I'm sick of you constantly buggin' me to 'talk about it'!"

The conversation seemed to have gone from between two people, to three, then back to two again, this time, Frank being out of the loop. Deciding to not get too involved, but wanting to hear what his friend had to say, he slid back toward the back wall to put some distance between them and listened while trying not to stare at the speakers outright.

"That fuckin' bitch!" Kyle screamed, feeling like he wanted to hit something. "She took me away, chained me up an' raped me outa my fuckin' mind!" He paused to take a much needed breath, then began again right away. "Day an' night, over and over! Biting me, suckin' out my blood And if anyone _ever_ calls me 'Kyle–baby' again, I will personally rip them apart _one piece at a time!_" He squeezed his eyes as he shouted, and his whole body went rigid and trembled on the verge of collapsing.

Endri stood at that point, dropping the finished cigarette into the ashtray, and reached for his friend, trying to provide a little comfort. His outstretching hands were slapped away, however, and he locked gazes with a wild animal.

"Don't touch me, you bastard!" He swayed a little and tried inhaling unsuccessfully a few times before gaining some semblance of control. "Y–You! Where _were_ you! I prayed and prayed for you to come and save me. But you never came. You never showed up to take away the pain like you always did. Y–You forgot about me!" he cried, his eyes glossing over.

"That isn't true!" Endri argued. "I was looking for you the entire time! The bitch that took you hid you well, Kyle. It took me two months to find you!"

"But you were always so powerful, Endri. With just a thought, you could transport yourself wherever you wanted. So, why didn't you pop up and save me! Why did you leave me there with that sadistic rapist!"

The ghost grit his teeth against the emotional pain. "I tried. I tried so hard to find you! But I didn't know where you were, so I couldn't transport to you. I practically had to _sniff_ you out!" He held a shaking hand to his blonde head and grimaced. "Please, Kylethis is tearing me apart."

"It's tearing _you_ apart! What about _me! I_ was the one in chains, forced to fuck some ghost bitch I don't know, bein' told if I was a 'good boy', I'd be _rewar–ded!_" His voice cracked horribly on his last word, and he stumbled to the side, griping the bar to steady himself.

Endri leapt forward and snatched Kyle up while he was distracted, locking his arms around the man's back and pinning him to his chest. "_I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry,_" he intoned over and over, remorse filling the words and his gut, making the backs of his eyes sting.

Not surprisingly, the inebriated human struggled fiercely in his grip, working his arms up to pound fisted hands to the ghost's chest. "Let me go! Stop! Leave me alone!" he shouted relentlessly, unceasing his angry, brutal attack. He was rarely ever so violent.

Endri just held on, knowing words would do no good at that particular point.

Kyle continued to struggle, beating his fists into his best friend's chest over and over, surely causing some nasty bruises under his white shirt. The tears had begun leaking out, but he never even noticed. It all just hurt so badly. The humiliation was blinding. He felt so dirty and disgusting, no amount of showering and scrubbing could make him clean again. He had tried already to clean the filth from himself, scouring his skin to the point of bleeding, but the stench of the woman always came back, the feeling of her clammy hands always returned. He didn't want anyone to touch him, especially not Endri. He didn't want to spread that foulness to his sweet brother.

A sob erupted from Kyle's constricted throat, and he gasped for more breath. "Y–Y—" he tried to say, but it wouldn't come out. So, frustrated, he sent his fists thudding to the ghost's chest again. Anger rose along with the action, and the loop began anew.

"Y–You never came for me!" he cried, his voice hoarse and scraping along his vocal cords. "You just left me to her! You didn't save me! You always used to save me, but this time, when it couldn't be worse, you just _left_ me there! Why!" He stopped fighting Endri's embrace and dropped his head to the chest he had been beating on, falling almost limp. "Why did you forget me?"

The ghost held his old partner aloft easily, but the throbbing in his battered chest wasn't going away anytime soon. It felt as though his heart was throbbing instead of his muscles and skin, and in an odd way, he rather liked the sensation. Gently, he slid one hand up to touch white hair that his face was practically buried in already. He spoke into the white fluff quietly, knowing Kyle could hear.

"I never once forgot you. I never stopped searching. I'd _still_ be searching if I hadn't found you when I did. All I could think about was finding you and bringing you home. Please don't forget _me_, Kyle. I'm your partneryour best friendyour brother. Why would I forsake you?"

Slowly, Kyle's face contorted in unbelievable pain, and his teeth grit so tightly together, they ground audibly. A cry was torn from his throat, and he buried his face deeper into Endri's chest to muffle it. Grasping, trembling hands clawed at the ghost's shoulders as if searching for a solid grip but finding none and slipping.

"_I'm so sorry!_" came an unexpected shout, and the hands that had been searching for purchase found it and clung tenaciously to Endri's lapels and any hair that happened to be in the way. "E–En–d–driso sorry," he began again through shaking breaths and shuddering sobs. "I–Ilost myf–faith in you." He looked up, eyes conveying such sorrow and regret. "My _faith_, 'Dri! I–I _lost_ it! I starteds–started to hate you. I thought you abandoned me. I thought you didn't care anymore. I thought you didn't care what happened to me. I thought Beetle took my best friend away from me, and I got jealous. And worst of allI thought I'd never get you back." His face fell back to the ghost's chest, and he clung so much tighter than before. "Please forgive me! I didn't mean to lose my faith in you! I didn't mean to. I d–didn't" He pulled away again, just enough to send a pleading look up to his long–time friend. His eyes glistened in the bad lighting of the bar, and a few of those crystal tears broke free when he blinked. "_Please_" he whispered at a barely audible level.

Endri smiled warmly down at him and pet his hand along the back of Kyle's hair. "I thought you knew me better," he spoke quietly. But just so there were no misconceptions, he nodded just slightly and said a little louder, "Of course I forgive you. Was there ever a need to ask such a thing?" He leaned down just a fraction and pressed a slow but chaste kiss to his best friend's forehead. There was no way that white–haired man wasn't cared for.

Kyle closed his eyes in incredible relief and let a few more tears escape from the act. Over the last eight months, he had cried and fussed like a child _so_ much, he occasionally wondered where along the road he had dropped his masculinity. But, he had to admit, it felt really good to be able to release his pain in the form of tears. It was better than throwing a fit, shouting, hitting, hurting—forgetting already that he had just been doing so. In fact, he believed he was _more_ of a man for being able to admit defeat, for being strong enough to cry, especially in front of others, than to pack it all in and cover everything with anger and frustration. Yes, he felt so much better now, now that everything was out. It was sucha relief.

Slowly, a serene look drifted over the plains of Kyle's face, and his head fell back limply, followed by his entire body sagging toward the floor. Endri renewed his grip on his friend, keeping him aloft, even as the human's hands slipped away from his hair and lapels to dangle limply at his sides.

Finally, at that point, Frank decided to make his presence known again, and stepped around the bar to lend a hand. "He passed out," he said, stating the obvious just for the record. He helped keep Kyle up while Endri worked his arms around until he was able to pick the smaller, younger human up and cradle him against his chest.

"Thank you," he told the man in acknowledgement.

Frank nodded, glad he could help, even if it was in such a small way. "H–He didn't really have all that much. I thought he'd be able to take more than that, actually," he said, referring to the alcohol Kyle had consumed earlier.

"He had stopped drinking and smoking after he met me. I sort ofthreatened him to quit." The ghost smiled at the bartender sweetly.

Frank shook his head. "Man, it seems after he met you, things kinda got better for him. I remember a time when _nothing_ could make him quit drinkin' and smokin'or even _smile_."

Endri smiled again, this time down at his unconscious friend. "Some things got better, some didn't, and some things got worse." He looked back up to the curious bartender. "There are good and bad points to everything. It was just fortunate that staying with me wouldn't have been as bad as being on his own. He needed me to keep him aloft." He looked back down to his beloved friend. "And I needed him to save my sanity. Everything just worked out."

Frank stared at the blonde for a moment, his lips pursed in both nervousness and thought. Those twinkles in that guy's eyes weren't caused by the crappy lights in the bar, that much he was certain. And he remembered all the cryptic things Kyle had told him earlier, both before and after he was drunk, and also during the fight he witnessed. He parted his lips and posed the question that had been on the tip of his tongue for a little while now. "Youyou aren't humanare you?"

Endri glanced back up to the aging bartender, a smile spreading over his full lips. "In the grand scheme of thingsdoes it really matter?"

Frank cast a long look to his old friend, held suspended in strong arms and sleeping peacefully. "I guess not," he said with a smirk.

The ghost continued his smile and nodded his head toward the man, then moved to turn and make his exit at last.

"Wait," Frank broke the silence again.

Endri turned back, a question on his brows.

"Are you Kyle's friendthe one he talked about that went i–insane? 'Cause you seem just fine to me."

The ghost smiled kindly. "Who are we to say what is and isn't sane? If being insane means being someone that isn't acting normally, then almost all of us would be considered mad. And if you are to be considered normal, you have to act and think a certain way. So tell me, which is more insane—being how everyone wants you to be, or being yourself?"

The deep meaning to those wise words were not lost on the older human, but he was never the one to beat around the bush. "Do you always talk in riddles?"

Endri smirked and tilted his head a little to the side before readjusting his hold on Kyle. "You want a straight answer, I assume. _Hn._ Very well. Most people don't like their minds challenged nowadays anyway. It's sad really." He shook his head a little before again locking gazes with Frank's hazel eyes. "No, I'm not human. And yes, unfortunately, I have developed a disorder my people call 'Necromania'. But" he looked down to his friend once again, "Kyle has helped me a great deal. I owe him more than I can give in a hundred lifetimes."

Frank shook his head again, a habit for him when he just couldn't believe what was going on. "Wow," was all he could utter.

The ghost looked up, smiling broadly. "Thank you for your help tonight. I'm glad Kyle was able to talk to someone about things. He normally doesn't see very many different people where we live, and he rarely gets to travel to the Real World anymore, since he's been caring for me."

"Oh, yeah, yeah, no problem!" the human nodded, truly glad he could help.

"We should be going now. Thank you again." Endri turned slightly, ready to walk off with his lighter than usual burden.

"W–Will I ever see you guys again? You're always welcome in my bar, ya know."

The ghost half turned back, smirking. "Perhaps someday we'll return. Thank you for everything." He turned one final time and exited the building, not needing to touch the door to open it as it swung open with just a quick glance.

Frank leaned back against the bar breathing a heavy sigh as the tall blonde made his unusual exit with an unconscious man dangling from his arms, his coat flowing behind, the last thing to disappear from view. Even if the blonde wasn't human, he was still a very nice guy, something Frank didn't see very often anymore.

No one would ever believe him if he said anything about what happened that night, so he promised himself he would never tell. And so, with that thought, he stood and worked around the bar, dumping the ashtrays and cleaning up what he missed before all the commotion started, then resigned to head home for some much deserved rest.

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Japanese / pronunciation / English Translation:

None

Next...splintered... 


	16. Mind Splinter

A story about life, love, courage, and testing ultimate friendship. What happens to Beetlejuice and his friends when one of their own falls into despair and changes completely? Nothing will ever be the same. This story is an **Alternate Universe** set five years after _Dark Shadows_ in the year 2008, and does **not** follow the intended story line. I repeat, this story does **NOT** follow the intended story line of the two stories (_A New Beginning_ & _Dark Shadows_) included in my _Beetlejuice Afterlife_ series, which is why it is simply titled "Mania" and not "Beetlejuice Afterlife – Mania". If I have someone ask me why I would put this as a sequel, I'll ignore them, because, right here it says: **THIS STORY IS NOT A SEQUEL**. This story was just bursting to be written, but I have no intention to make it part of my previous series. It just happens to use that series' events as a prelude. I hope there is no confusion.

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Sometimes bad things have to happen to make a better outcome.

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Mania  
Spencers13 – March 2003–March 2004  
R – Drama – Angst 

Chapter Fifteen – Mind Splinter

Time passed. Months ticked away like the second hand on a clock. Seasons came and went. Finally, at some point, three years had passed, and just like the passage of time almost always dictated, things changed.

Endri had made much progress in his struggle to rid himself of the Mania. In fact, he was practically back to normal, much to the joy of his friends and family. A few things were still different about him, however, but nothing that was bad. He spoke more, held back less, confided more of his darker secrets in his best friend to let them out into the open for once, and allowed himself to be a happier person. He smiled more and laughed with the crowd, and everyone encouraged it all, making him feel secure and comfortable with the new actions. Endri was a changed ghost, and everyone would say he had changed for the better.

_Death Styles of the Rich and Heinous_ flickered across Beetlejuice's television, and he and his son watched with interest. Occasionally, the ghoul would wave at the screen saying, "Bah! I was richer than them once." or "Please! They don't deserve all that crap!"

Endri just chuckled at his father's comments and the show.

When it was over, their unspoken "daily get-together" by the TV was also over, and Beetlejuice stood, cracking his back in a stretch.

"I'm gonna go see Lyds for a while, kid. You be okay hagin' out here?"

Endri nodded and waved his father off lazily. "Of course. Have fun, Papa."

The ghoul rubbed his hands together and a mischievous grin slipped onto his lips. "_Heh-heh! _Yeah" was the last thing he uttered before he vanished in a cloud of yellow.

The ghost rolled his eyes, knowing what his father was probably up to. He silently envied him, though. Beetlejuice had someone to run off to and be with—someone that completed him physically and emotionally. Endri, however, did not, and even though he didn't often think about it, he was a little depressed that he didn't have someone like his father did. He did have Kyle, however, and Kyle was his emotional completion. The physical aspect couldn't be covered by him, though, and, on occasion, Endri would fantasize about having a beautiful mate by his side.

She would have long hair, a slight body that was fragile and delicate like glass, and eyes he could swim in. And Endri? He would be her classic "knight in shining armor". He smirked to himself with that thought. His fantasies of love and romance were always a little cliché, but it didn't matter to him. What mattered was the feeling he got when he thought of "her", whoever she would turn out to be. He longed to find this girl of his fancy, but believed the words told to him by his loved ones.

"_Someday, you'll find her. And when you do, you'll just know._"

He smiled to himself. _I'll find someone someday, and she'll complete me in every way, and I'll complete her as well. Until thenI think I have a book that's half done._ Still with the smile on his lips, Endri stood from the couch and headed upstairs to his bedroom.

Not thirty minutes later, Kyle trotted gracefully down the steps and passed through the living room on his way to the kitchen. He pulled the fridge open and rooted for about three seconds before scrunching his nose in disgust.

"Man! Is there _anything_ edible in this house?" His tummy growled at him impatiently, and he patted it affectionately. "I know, I know. I'm looking. Keep your acid down." Chuckling at his own silliness, he dug through the pantry. "Mmmlooks like it's Count Chocula _again_. Yum."

As he poured the cereal, the doorbell donked.

Kyle looked up and around. "Beetle? Endri?"

The doorbell sounded again.

"Ah, fine. I'll get it," the human mumbled, leaving the kitchen to open the door.

Of all the people that could have stood there, _Claire_ looked up at Kyle, seemingly a little nervous. The man had to restrain from frowning at her, but it was very hard task to accomplish.

"Claire," he stated flatly, giving her a look that said absolutely nothing of what he was thinking. "What brings you back here after so long?"

She swallowed. "UmI hate to intrude, butI think I left some things here, and I'd like to have them back."

That was when Kyle frowned. "It took you three almost _four years_ to come back and get some stuff you left here?"

Claire's eyes fell. "Wellthat and I have something that belongs to Endri too, and I'd kind of like to talk to him again. May I see him please?"

She tried to be sweet about it, perhaps using charm or a bit of an innocent act to get under Kyle's skin and cause him to cave. The man was leery, however, and wasn't about to jump into a yes. He was afraid Endri wouldn't take well to seeing her again.

"I don't think—"

"Please. I'll be here and gone before you know it."

"What did you leave here?" Kyle asked, stalling and also making sure she knew who was in charge of the situation. She wasn't getting past him without a fight. She wasn't getting past him _period_.

Claire's eyes dropped down again, away from his piercing blue gaze. "My jewelry box."

"Where's it at? I'll go get it."

Nervousness worked over her features along with what he would call desperation. "UhI-I'd like to see Endri, though. Is he home? How's he been? How've _you_ been, actually?" she rambled, trying to make conversation.

Kyle continued to frown. "Look, Claire, I really don't think Endri'd wanna see you. So just give me what you have of his, and I'll go get your stuff. I can't believe you waited this long." he trailed off, muttering to himself in disgust and rolling his eyes.

Claire sighed and gave in, finally. "Fine." Her purse made small rustling noises as she dug through it.

A creek on the stairs caught both of their attention, and she looked up just as Kyle also turned to see. Endri stood there, one foot on the bottom step and the other on the next one up, hand on the railing, staring in disbelief. His entire being seemed frozen like a statue, not even blinking as he regarded his best friend and ex-girlfriend at the door.

Kyle cursed under his breath and strode over quickly, and Claire could hear them speaking in hushed tones to each other.

"Endri"

The ghost hissed and finally blinked, but kept his eyes staring over the human's shoulder at the woman in the doorway. "What is she doing here?"

"She has something that belongs to you, and you got something of hers. She just wants an exchange and to leave, okay?"

Endri's breaths were coming rapid and shallow.

"You okay, 'Dri?"

He blinked and nodded out of the daze. "I'm—I'm fine." Sidestepping his friend, the ghost walked up to Claire, head held high with a strong disposition, but his eyes were far from confident. His voice, however, retained its former authority as he asked, "What do you want?"

Swallowing, she took her ex-boyfriend in for a second, scrutinizing his appearance. He seemed thinner than her memory pictured and a little more rough around the edges. Ever neatly groomed, however, he still looked like a picture of perfection to her.

A voice that she had been hearing for a long time now yelled at her again, much louder than before. _You left **him!** Stupid, stupid, stupid!_

"My j-jewelry box is in your room."

Already knowing what she was talking about, Endri turned without a word to retrieve it, and about a minute later, he stepped up to her again. He handed over a small, ornate silver box, saying, "Is this all?"

Claire nodded, taking the box. "Oh! I-I have something for you here." Using her free hand, she dug through her purse, uprooting a compact that slipped out and fell to the floor. The lid popped off on impact. "Oh, could you fix that for me please?" she asked, not stopping in her seemingly futile search.

Endri blinked at Claire for a second before casting his eyes down to the clamshell. He bent down and lifted the lid and base into his hands, examining the clasp where they hooked together. Easily, he snapped the two back together then inspected the insides to see if the pieces of makeup were cracked.

A loud gasp tore from the ghost's throat upon seeing his long-since forbidden reflection in the little mirror there, and he dropped the compact back to the floor, backing up.

It took a moment for Kyle to realize what had happened, but when he did, a loud, "Shit!" flew out of his mouth as he dashed over to his friend. His hand clamped over Endri's eyes tightly. "Don't look at it! Don't look at it, 'Dri!"

A voice from nowhere, deep and growling, said, "_Too late._"

Kyle whirled. "Dammit!"

Claire shrieked and stepped back as a thick, blue mist exploded from the little mirror on the floor and formed into an exact replica of Endri. He sported a different outfit, consisting of a black trench coat, boots, and leather pouches strapped to his brawny thighs. But even though he looked like Endri, something about him screamed danger, while the ghost still next to Kyle suddenly screamed peacefulness.

Hidari grinned evilly, bringing a heavy boot down on the compact, crushing it. "Thought you could silence me again, Kenri? You should know by now, my voice will always be heard."

Kenri gulped and tried his best to hide his now more slender form behind Kyle. "_I thought I could control him this time._" he whispered to his friend. "_Ky-chan, please don't let him hurt me._"

The human turned to the side and wrapped protective arms around the trembling ghost.

Growling, Hidari stalked forward, not yet noticing Claire behind him. "You can't hide behind him forever, Kenri. Come to me now, and I won't prolong your pain," he said with a snarling grin and a beckoning finger.

Kyle frowned. "Stop it, Endri."

The advancing blonde halted in his tracks, a foreign look of concern twisting his features. "Brother," he stated flatly but thought better of it and allowed more feeling to come into his words when he spoke again. "Brother, are you angry with me?"

"No. Not as long as you leave him alone."

Hidari stepped right up and took one of the human's hands into his own. Both hands still displayed faint scars of teeth marks that, if examined, matched Kyle's perfectly.

"For you, Brotheranything."

In relief, the human breathed a sigh. "Thanks, 'Dri." The hand that held his tugged slightly, getting his attention.

"You forget so easily, Kyle. While we're separated, 'Endri' doesn't exist. Remember? I am Hidari."

Kyle smiled lightly. "Hidari."

"Wh-What's going on? Did I—Did I miss something?" Claire was finally able to utter from behind, still staring in shock.

The warrior side of Endri turned to see her finally. In an instant, he was boiling with rage, dropping the pacifism only displayed for his blood brother. "You!"

Claire jumped at the shouted word.

"Bitch, how dare you show your face to me again!"

She frowned. "Screw you, asshole!" She stepped forward, raising an arm.

"Claire, no!" Kyle called a second too late.

Her hand came into direct contact with Hidari's cheek, and the loud crack made Kenri and Kyle wince. "You bastard! I _was_ regretting leaving you, but now you can just go to he—_ghkk!_" Her voice cut off in a gag as Hidari grabbed around her shirt collar and lifted her off the floor, eyes burning.

The white-haired human tugged forcefully at the ghost's arm, but it went ignored. The black-clad blonde was far too angry to see beyond Claire's frightened face.

"Hidari, please, no! Let her go!"

He growled loudly. "It was _you_ who started this whole thing off in me. The fuse had been there for centuries, getting shorter and shorter, but it was _you_ who finally lit it. I blame you. And it's only fitting that your blood should be shed by the insanity you caused."

Claire gurgled a scream and struggled against her assailant.

Kenri and Kyle both shouted for him to stop.

Hidari slowly pulled his right fist back. "I was never fond of you anyway."

"Hidari, no!" Kyle shouted, slipping between Claire and the ghost with his arms spread out to defend.

The punch was thrown in that instance, landing square on the human's chest right over his heart with the force of a bowling ball being dropped from a two story building. A sick, crunching thud resounded, and Kyle let out the faintest of grunts on impact. His eyes widened and dilated as he teetered back and fell to the floor, unmoving.

In his shock, Hidari released Claire and stared down dumbfounded. The girl stumbled back and out of sight, her presence forgotten.

Kenri rushed to the man's side and knelt next to him. "Ky-_chan_! Ky-_chan_!"

A small trickle of blood escaped his mouth with more pooling in the back of his throat. His wide eyes stared off into nothingness. The gentle ghost shook his friend a little before leaning down and listening against his chest, his demeanor almost panicked.

"Is he all right?" Hidari's quiet, worried voice broke the intense silence, all anger forgotten.

Kenri gradually sat back up, his eyes glossy as they regarded the still form on the floor. "_Hdead._" His counterpart released a held breath and shook his head, disbelieving. "Ky-_chan_ is _dead!_ You _killed_ him!" Kenri cried, sending as hateful a glare to his opposite as he could muster.

Hidari backed up a step. "N-NoI didn't meanhe got in the way."

The peaceful side of Endri lifted Kyle's body into his arms and the pooling blood in his mouth escaped over parted, paling lips. "You killed Ky-_chan_! He was our blood brother! How could you, you monster! Must you always destroy what I love!"

Hidari grit his teeth inside a closed mouth and fisted his hands tightly. Panic was seconds away from swallowing him whole with the thought of what he did but didn't intend to do. "Y-You lie. He's fine." He said the words even though he saw the blood and blank stare.

"He's _dead!_" Kenri cried in response.

Wincing, Hidari backed up again.

"You hit him and stopped his heart! He's broken. M-My Ky-_chan_ is broken. Where's Papa? He can fix himhe can fix anything." The sweet ghost began rocking Kyle's body in the circle of his arms. "_Someonefix him._" his soft voice whimpered, letting tears fall like raindrops.

Hidari really started to panic, backing up into the front door. "N-Noit isn't possible. He's faking. It's a trick. II didn't hit him that hard!" His green eyes still beheld his crying counterpart rocking the body that was obviously lifeless. He shook his head, his breaths shallow, almost hyperventilated from his lungs. Pale hands flew up and grabbed a blonde head as voices poured between his ears.

_Kyle's dead. You killed him—your own brother. **You** did it. It's **your** fault. Murderer. Dead. Lifeless. Kyle would never forgive you for destroying his life._

His voice screamed from his throat as the bodiless voices cut into his being with every accusation and word of guilt. Unable to stand it, he turned and plowed through the front doors and ran off before he blasted into the air, disappearing seconds later.

Kenri ignored everything, his center of universe being Kyle, and he a single heavenly body revolving around him. Gently, he laid the body back to the floor, feeling the heaviness of the limbs and how limply they hung. Every muscle was slack inside Kyle's body, giving him a semblance of softness easily compared to a rag doll.

Why was it _Kyle_ that was always being hurt? Why not someone else? Who out there had it in for the poor man? It just wasn't fair. Over and over, the human's life had been threatened and/or nearly destroyed. It was almost redundant. But it would never be taken lightly.

Sniffing, Kenri wiped his tears, mumbling to the body he knelt over. "_You can't die, Ky-chan. You can't. Don't you understand? I need you alive. You make **me** feel alive. It isn't the blood of humans or the rush of making love with oneit's **you**. You've shown me what it's like to live and love. You've shown me it's possible to start over. I see so much in you that I wish I could be. Your friendship and love keep me going, moving forward. Please, Ky-chanyour life is too precious._"

Pale, gentle hands rested to either side of Kyle's still heart. Blue energy sparked along the arms they belonged to, traveling down into the body below. The human's body jerked like it had been shocked, but moved no further. Kenri jolted Kyle again.

"Wake up." He jolted the human again. "Wake up, Ky-_chan_!" Again!

In a mass of flailing arms and legs, Kyle sat straight up, drawing a huge, dragging breath. He latched to Kenri's arms, coughing and spitting up the blood that had invaded his throat and mouth. His body trembled violently with tightly squeezed eyes, and pants and grunts of pain escaped his bloodstained lips.

What was going on? A moment before, he was floating gently, a soft breeze in his hair and upon his nude body. A brightness shown on him from a clear blue sky, and he never felt as peaceful as that one moment. But then, in a rush of color then darkness, he was back in a world full of pain and confusion. His chest ached, and his throat and lungs burned like they were on fire. Where was that nice place? Where had it gone? He wanted to go back, back where it was peaceful and calm. Never mind that it was only his ghost traveling on its transition from body to Neitherworld. As long as he could have that experience back, nothing else mattered.

In his confusion, Kyle's shaking hands wandered slowly over the thing he held onto. It was slightly warm and soft, but there were too many contours to understand what it was.

Kenri, in incredible relief, held the human to himself, joyously happy that he was back. "Ky-_chan_! I did it! You're alive!"

Tears leaked from Kyle's closed eyes filled with confusion, pain, and sorrow for having lost that beautiful place. He couldn't seem to get back there, and it frustrated him to no end. At least the thing wrapped around him was instilling such comfort that it wasn't so bad to be where he waswherever that could be.

Gradually, his senses began to calm and sort out the information that had been bombarding them relentlessly. His breath calmed to a light pant, and he could taste blood in his mouth. A person was holding him tightly against themselves, running comforting hands along his back, arms, and hair. But who was it? Who was making him feel so tended to?

Cerulean eyes eased open at last, and, as if sensing it, the person holding him pulled back slightly to look down at him as he looked up at them.

Could it be?

"_EEndri?_" a raspy voice croaked, barely audible.

The person that looked just like Endri shook his head, relief all over his features. A light laugh also escaped his pale lips. "Kenri."

Kyle frowned, confused again. "_KKen-ri?_" He looked around, his eyes alighting to Claire hiding by the fireplace, then again to the ghost holding him. Then, it made sense. It was as if he was waking from a dream world and had to get used to reality again. "_Kenri? Whawhere's Hidari?_"

Kenri hugged the human to himself again, his eyes forming happy arches as he snuggled against his friend. "He ran off. But I don't care. As long as you're all right, I don't care about anything else, Ky-_chan_."

Smiling, Kyle embraced his friend in return. He always liked hugging Endri, and his sweeter side gave awesome hugs. Over the ghost's shoulder, he noticed Claire again. She still seemed scared, and he wondered what had happened to her after Hidari hit him. "Did he hurt you?" he asked across the room.

She knew to what he was referring and shook her head 'no'.

Kyle frowned. "Good." Since she was fine, there was no further use for her; she no longer needed to be there to cause trouble. "Go home."

Claire swallowed. "Wh"

"Go home, Claire."

She steeled her nerves and took a few steps forward. "Not until I know what's going on!"

Amazingly, Kyle worked his way onto his feet, but not without a lot of help from Kenri. "What's going on is none of your business! Now go home before you cause anymore damage!"

Claire fumed and fisted her small hands. Her lower lip trembled a second before she turned and ran out the broken door. Her footfalls disappeared into the distance soon after.

With her gone, Kyle sighed in relief and sagged, forcing Kenri to support him fully and kneel back down to the floor with him. The ghost held him up and propped his head against his shoulder, tenderly running a free hand over his cheek and neck.

"Are you all right, Ky-_chan_?" he asked worriedly.

Kyle smirked against the shoulder of his friend's good side. "Yeah. Considering I just came back from the brink of death." He lifted his head away and gazed up at Kenri. "You saved my life Why? Why keep saving my life? You've done it ever since we first met. You're _always_ saving me. Why won't you just let me die." He sounded fatigued as he spoke, but gratefulness couldn't help working in there as well.

"Because all those times were never your time to die."

Kyle rested his head back to the ghost's shoulder tiredly. "What about when it _is_ my time to die, 'DriI mean, Kenri. What then? Will you let me? What if I'm suffering? What if to let me die would be a mercy? Would you do it?"

Kenri opened his mouth, but nothing came out.

"I'm not saying I'm not grateful, Kenri. I am. But what if that time comes and you're there to see itI mean what if Endri's there to see it? Would he let me die? Even if I begged him, would he let me?" He paused for a few moments as if catching his breath from so much speaking. "Tell me the _real_ reason why you keep saving my life."

The ghost swallowed and closed his eyes, cupping the back of Kyle's head with the hand not supporting his weight. "Ialready told you," he half whispered, almost as if he didn't want the human to hear.

"What did you tell me? Remind me."

Kenri sighed softly and turned his face to nuzzle white hair, always affectionate. "A long time ago, when Hidari and I were still one, and we both equally governed the body we make, we met you. Endri met you. He_guh!_ It's so confusing!" He hugged tighter to his friend, trying to console himself.

Kyle smirked. "It's okay. Just talk as if you were Endri, 'kay?"

Kenri nodded and went on. "Well, during much of the time I knew you, I tried to keep my distance to keep things professional between us. If I had let you in, I was afraid you'd find a way to hurt me, intended or not. I know we had fights about my secrecy, and it often created a rupture between us, but it never separated us completely. After our big fight and we got back together, I was more open with you, like you wanted. But to be open with you, I had to be open with myself, and I had to admit a lot of things I refused to before. I admitted to myself that I really did care about you. I admitted you were my friend. And when I thought about it, I realized I never wanted to be without you, because then I'd be lonely again, like I was before we met.

"Deep down, I knew how I felt about you, but it was one thing I could never allow myself to admit at that point. And trust me, this is coming from me, Kenri, right of Endrithi. The part that is love, kindness, and compassion. I am also peace, joy, hope, and generosity, serenity, humility, truth, faith, and friendship." He paused for a moment, just taking in the feel of his friend in his arms. "I loved you. It was a pure, caring, I'd do anything for you just because you're you, kind of love. But I never would admit it to myself, let alone say it aloud. Or rather, Hidari would never let me admit it. He was afraid that if I let it out, if you knew, you'd use it against me. No one wants to be hurt like thatespecially after all the times I've given out my love and had it thrown back at me. I would have been destroyed if you did the same."

Kyle nodded slowly in understanding, a smile on his face. He knew Endri cared for him, but it was always nice to have it said to him once in a while.

Going on, Kenri revealed more of what he had felt in the past and present. "Only until recently have I been able to unleash all that's been pent up inside methanks to the Mania. I was finally able to tell you I loved you and how much you meant to a lost soul like me. And that's why I keep saving your life. I'm repaying you for all the kindness you've bestowed upon me. That andfor another reason." He sighed, ashamed to reveal that other reason.

"What's that?"

Kenri stroked white hair absently with the hand cupping the back of Kyle's head. "I" He sighed again and relented. "I'm being very selfish. I need you."

The human blinked, seeing only blonde hair in his face. "You need me?"

"Youyou make me feel like I'm alive. I told you just a few minutes ago before I brought you back thatthat it isn't the blood of humans or the rush of making love with oneit's _you_. Your presence, your friendship and love keep me afloat. I've told you many times before that I'd sink and drown without you to help me and be here for me and guide me.

"When you're near, I can't help but feel good. When you hug me, I feel the warmth from your body, and it makes me imagine that I'm just as warm. And when we hug close enough, I can feel your heartbeat against where _my_ heart isand I imagine that it's my heartbeat too. When I look into your eyes, I see the cloudless blue skies from Earth, and it reminds me of life and light and energy. When I see your hair, it reminds me of wintertime on Earth with drifts of snow, and it makes me calm, and I feel serene. I imagine bright, energetic children playing in the snow, throwing snowballs and building fantastic things from their limitless imaginations, and it makes me happy. When you smile, I see the bright sun. When you're sad, I see clouds drift through the skies of your eyes, and I feel the cold rain of your tears sting my skin. Your emotions govern how I feel at any given moment. While you're alive_I_ feel alive. I _can_ livethrough you. If I let you die, then you'd changeand both you and I would lose all of that."

Kyle remained silent, allowing the weight of Kenri's words to settle on him. So many compliments and poetic words describing what he always thought were simple, everyday thingsit made him blush all the way across both cheeks, his nose, and up over his forehead. After clearing his throat quietly, he was able to utter, "Wowthe way you talksounds like you don't love me, but you're _in_ love with me."

Kenri laughed softly. "Believe me, Ky-chanif I was in love with you, it would be pretty obvious." He chuckled again, just thinking of it. "I'm just devoted to you. I'm not in love with you. I would do anything for you, but I'm not going to crawl into bed with you if you needed it. But I _would_ be the one to just hand you some tissues and say, 'have at it!'"

Kyle released a held breath in a half laugh. "Well_that's_ a relief. _Heh_picturing that kinda make me wanna laugh. _heh-heh_"

They both chuckled softly in the quiet of the room, enjoying their silent understanding of each other.

"_Man_" the human whispered, feeling his chest swell and tears prick his eyes. "_I love you so much, you fuckin' bastard. You're so awesome to me. If you were a chick, I'd screw you right here after I asked you to marry me. Why'd you have to be a guy, dammit? You know how frustrating that is?_"

Kenri laughed again and patted a warm shoulder. "Sorry about that," was all he could think to say.

Kyle picked up the light laugh again as well, lifting his head away languidly from the ghost's shoulder and looking up into green eyes. "Thanks, partner."

Unable to stop smiling, and knowing what the human meant, the blonde replied, "Anytime."

With an exhausted sigh, Kyle made a small attempt at standing on his own. "WellI suppose we should go find Hidari and get him back here. You two need to join again."

"Are you sure? After all, you just—"

"I'm fine," he reassured, brooking no argument.

Kenri sighed and nodded, smiling. "All right, we should probably make haste then." He looked out through the broken doors, angst darkening his eyes. "He is more on edge than ever."

"Why?"

"He still thinks he killed you." The ghost looked back. "I can feel his insanity rising. We need to find him before he hurts someoneor himself."

With a heavy grunt, Hidari landed in the center of Maim Street. Several cars had to screech to a halt before they ran him over, their drivers leaning out the window and shouting profanities. Passersby who saw the disturbance gave the panting, ragged-looking ghost odd looks while they began talking amongst themselves.

"What's that guy's problem?"

"Who is he?"

"That guy looks familiar."

"Heyhe's kinda cute!"

"It's Beetlejuice's kid!" someone shouted in realization.

More mumbles rose from the growing crowds as more and more attentions were caught.

"_That's_ Beetlejuice's son!"

"It's Endri."

"He's a dream!"

A finger pointed from one of the ghouls that stood closer than the rest. "Look at his eyes!"

Murmurs of panic swept through the quieting air.

"He has the Mania!" a female zombie screamed, grabbing up her equally zombified child and dashing back through the crowd to get away.

The rest of the crowd began easing backward as well, not knowing what to expect from a ghost with the Mania. Quite a few followed the zombie's example, turning and running. A few cars squealed their tires, wanting to be the first to get out of there before there was total panic.

Hidari glared back and forth between the voices with one eye red-ringed and the other normal. The look of a wild man ruffled him up, his hair a little unruly around his angry face, marred with snarling wrinkles. Each breath he took growled through clenched teeth, and he stood a little hunched with his knees bent slightly.

Many voices whispered between his ears that he thought were coming from the crowd until one broke through the rest, quieting them. It growled at him, but also spoke soothingly, like it understood everything that was happening and was supportive of him through it all.

_All those people_ it whispered in his head, _pointing their fingerswhispering to themselvesaccusing wordsthey know._

Hidari shook his head and growled. He didn't want to listen anymore. He didn't want to acknowledge what had happened, for then it could just go away.

_They know what you didand they hate you for it._

A look of concern or perhaps fear pulled up on the blonde's brows, and he retreated a step from the crowd.

_Kyle will soon be among them He will hate you for what you have done._

Hidari shook his head again slowly. His two different eyes swam.

_But you can silence their whisperstheir accusationsstop their pointing and judgingso easily._

Pale lips twitched a few times before pulling up into a smirk made from the purest evil. The ghost's countenance no longer conveyed fear, but confidence and emulated power.

_Destroy themdestroy them all. They are nothing compared to youflocks of sheepherds of cattle ready to be brought to the butcherand **you** are the butcher. They are weak. You are strong. The strong shall cut down the weak and be victorious over all._

He licked his lips at the prospect, but froze a second later. _What about Kyle?_

_Kyle is nothing as well. You have no need of him. He is so weak compared to you—just like the rest. A piece of paper that can be torn so easily._

_Buthe's my brother nowmy only friend. We made a pact together. Our blood is one now._

_Fool! His blood taints you! He makes you imperfect! And **his** imperfection is making **you** weak! He will only drag you down to his level, tricking you, swaying your perfect decisions. That has always been his goal, did you not know that? He is trying to make you human! A disgusting human that is comparable to a defenseless fledgling with its beak wide open, willing to accept anything that is fed to it! Do you want to be the fledglingor the hawk? Do you want to be the prey that lives in fearor be the predator that **instills** the fear?_

Hidari trembled just slightly. He didn't want to be weak. He hated that. He was _never_ weak! But _But_

_He hates you!_

"No!" he shouted out loud, grabbing his head. "It's not true!"

The crowd eased back again, seeing the ghost almost drooling in his madness. A good many more ran off at that point, screaming something about it being the end of that city. A few others ranted that it was the end of the entire Neitherworld, so why bother running?

_It **is** true. Listen to his own words and tell me he holds no hate for you._

Kyle's voice rang clear in Hidari's mind. The words were genuinely his, spoken, or rather shouted, years ago. "_I would rather watch you eaten and shit out the ass end of one of those worms before I **ever** help you, Endri! **You betrayed me!**_"

The ghost hunched over himself, grabbing his head. "Nono that isn't true!"

_He said it himself._

"But he was the only one I could trust!"

_Then you have obviously been trusting the wrong people._

Hidari froze, staring straight ahead. Around him, the people that still remained were aware he was struggling with himself, but they had no idea the scale of his internal waror what the outcome would be.

_You can only trust yourself, or have you forgotten that?_

Mania-ridden eyes glossed over. _Buthe was my friend._

_He no longer wants to **be** your friend! Forget him! He is nothing now! He hates you for killing him, so why not reciprocate those feelings?_

"I could never hate Kyle," he said aloud.

_You hate him._

No.

Who are you?

I-I amleft of EndrithiI am anger I am sorrowsuperiority, and envy. I am lust, pride, and regretfear, lies, and guilt.

You are

A warrior.

A **Viking** warrior?

Yes.

And do you remember what a Viking has?

A Viking has no friends, no family, no allies. A Viking has only enemies to battle and destroy, and only weak people to dominate and control.

Precisely. Nowtake back your freedomtake back your heritage and your pride. **Live** again. Destroy everything that stands in your way, and show no mercyjust like a truewarrior.

A rush of uncontrollable, instinctual rage boiled outward from deep within, and Hidari screamed with the rush of it. Power leapt into his hands, sparking and crackling, charging up the surrounding air with static electricity.

Everyone simply screamed and ran.

"He's insane!"

"He's got the Mania! Run!"

Laughing at all of those pathetic creatures, he threw the first two blasts straight into the fleeing crowd.

From out of the Roadhouse, Kenri and Kyle hobbled, the human's arm around the ghost's shoulders for support as he was unstable on his feet yet. Doomie screeched to a halt on the road beside the bridge leading to the Roadhouse, and Beetlejuice waved from the driver's seat. Lydia sat next to him, dressed casually but with more of a punk style that she had been leaning toward lately.

"Hey, guys! Where ya headed?" the ghoul called.

"Beetle! Lydia!" Kyle shouted, trying to hurry along faster, but Kenri wouldn't let him exert himself too much and held him back a little. "Man, am I glad to see you!" A few steps later, and he was at the car, holding against the door and Kenri for support.

"_Meep! Meep!_" Doomie honked in greeting.

Kyle nodded. "Hi, Doomie. BeetleI think we got a problem," he said seriously, getting right to it. The longer they stalled, the less time they had to find Hidari before something bad happened.

Beetlejuice and Lydia looked the human over from top to bottom.

"Are you all right, Kyle?" she asked with concern.

"Yeah, you look a little" the ghoul tilted his hand from side to side, "roughed up. Somethin' happen?"

Kyle stole a glance at his half partner. "You could say that."

Beetlejuice frowned with confusion. "What's goin' on?"

Wasting no more time, the human fumbled his way into Doomie's back seat followed by Kenri. "We'll explain on the way."

He talked solid for five minutes as all four drove down the Neitherworld highway, retelling what had happened only twenty minutes prior. Beetlejuice and Lydia simply listened to the story, barely able to believe such events actually took place.

"so we need to find him before something bad happens. Errbefore something _worse_ than what's already happened happensyeah."

Lydia swallowed and reached back over the seat. She ran a hand over his knee and stretched a little to reach his face, cupping his cheek. "Are you all rightseriously."

Kyle smiled lightly, closing his eyes for a brief moment. "I guess so. I suppose I should probably be in a hospital or somethin', butwe have no time for that kind of thing. Finding Hidari is more important." His smile broadened, and he took Lydia's hand in his. "Don't worry about me. I always seem to be fine; you know that. Endri's always saving my assor at least the part of him that's Kenri." He smiled over at the ghost next to him who didn't really seem to notice as he stared out ahead. "I wouldn't guess that Hidari would care all that much."

Lydia smiled warmly and squeezed the larger hand that held hers before slipping away. "As long as you're not seriously hurt anymore."

Green eyes lifted up in the rearview mirror to see the blonde sitting in the back seat behind Lydia. Kenri sat, slouched just a little, and stared straight ahead. He had been silent for almost the entire time they had been in the car, and something like that was unnerving.

"What'cha thinkin' about, Kenri? You've been pretty quiet."

Pale lips parted, but no sounds emerged for a moment. "I canfeel him," Kenri mumbled around undulating rivers of blonde hair that flowed in the breeze.

Kyle and Lydia both turned toward him.

The ghost grimaced but made no other movement. "So much So full of hatred and self loathing. He's completely gone. We'll never be able to bring him back from where he is now."

"Are you sure? There'sno hope at all?" Lydia asked quietly, worry in her voice.

At that point, Kenri finally looked up, alighting his eyes to swimming pools of grey framed by billowing ebony. "Honestly? There never was."

Beetlejuice swallowed his grief, gripping the wheel tighter as Lydia lowered her eyes and half turned away, unable to look at the face of the person predicting his own fate.

"Everything that has transpired has been working up to this moment in time because once the Mania developed in me, it was only a matter of time anyway."

"What about _you_, Kenri?" Kyle asked, eyes filled with nothing but worry. "Hidari's the one with all the Mania, right? Isn't that how it was?"

Kenri looked over to his companion in all seriousness. "No. The Mania _is_ in us both. It's just much easier to see in Hidari. He and I are separatebut still connected on some subconscious level. He is so full of rage and despair, not to mention the Mania, that it's slowly being force-fed into me. I feel it even now. It's like we're apart, but still coming back together. SoonI'll be joining him in complete madness." His gaze fell forward again, taking in the surroundings flying toward and past the car.

"But!" Kyle protested, not liking that answer in the slightest. "You're Endri's good! You shouldn't be able to feel the kind of emotions Hidari does or be as crazy as him!"

"That doesn't matter. Insanity knows no boundaries," Kenri went on calmly.

Kyle huffed and sagged his whole frame, feeling helpless. "No" he uttered weakly.

Kenri looked upon him again, smiling. "Kyleit's all right."

"How can you say that!" everyone in the car shouted. Doomie even added in his two cents by honking his own surprise.

Chuckling, the ghost sat back, propping one foot up just a little on Lydia's seat in front of him. "Listen and understand. I am miserable." A look of tiredness descended upon him suddenly, etching fine lines in his face and pulling his eyes to half closed.

Kyle and Beetlejuice swallowed their sorrow, and Lydia looked upon him with slight understanding.

"Existing like this is no way to spend the rest of eternity. I know that, and you know that."

The human leaned toward him slightly, his worry seemingly justified. "Kenri" A smile was directed over to him.

"Don't worry, Kyle. I'm not going to wipe myself out."

Lydia leaned over the back seat a little, trying to see better. "What _are_ you goi—"

A loud BOOM shook the road, and Doomie swerved to compensate, then screeched to a halt. Up ahead, smoke poured out from the city as one of the shorter buildings slowly leaned to the side. Cars suddenly sped past them in the opposite direction at an alarming rate with increasing numbers. People were screaming, and some were shouting about it being the end of the Neitherworld.

Kenri sat up straight, fisting a hand and hissing through his teeth. "Nohe's hurting people again! Won't he _ever_ stop!" His Mania eyes, one red-ringed the other normal, fell to his fist and stared at it, determination pulling the tired lines of his face taut. "It's come to this. I can't allow him to do this any longer. It's time I put a stop to _everything_."

Without another word, Kenri leaned forward and drew his arms around Lydia, hugging tightly. "I'm sorry, Miss Lydia. I'm sorry we couldn't have gotten to be closer. You've always been so wonderful to me. You almost seemed to understand me sometimes. I've always thought of you as someone so very speciallike a sister." He pulled back and kissed her softly on the cheek where a blush of emotion reddened the skin. "Take care of yourself for me, and look after Papa. He needs you."

Not knowing what else to do, she nodded and was able to give him a kiss back before he pulled away and scooted over to his father. He hugged the ghoul from behind as he did with Lydia.

"I'm sorry, Papa, for all the trouble I've caused. I never meant for things to get so bad. I love you so very much, and I'm terribly sorry Hidari always kept me from saying it aloud. He kept me from doing so many things I regret not now. You've been such an inspiration to me, and I admire you greatly. Take care of everyone in my steadand I trust you'll know what to do when this is all over."

Beetlejuice opened his mouth to speak, but Kenri kissed his cheek and pulled away before he could get a word out.

Two different eyes fell to the side upon the last person in the car. Softly, his voice spoke the man's name fondly. "Kyle"

The human swallowed and looked away. "Don't you sit there and tell me goodbye, dammit. I won't accept that, not after all the stuff you poured out to me a little bit ago."

Kenri smiled. "I'm not leaving for good. Just" he shrugged, "a little while."

"How long is a little while?" Kyle asked, looking back.

"As long as need be."

White hair shook in the negative. "No, I—"

"Kyle, we haven't much time."

He frowned. "But you promised you'd never leave! You never broke your promises to me before! Why now!"

"Now isn't the time for this argument. I'll only say that I'm sorry I'm breaking my promise, but it's out of dire necessity. Now listen to me, Kyle, this is very important."

The human looked over and listened, swallowing with nerves.

"I'm going to give you something that I want you to keep for me until the right time. It's very precious to me, so you must be careful with it."

Kyle nodded, swallowing again. There seemed to be an annoying lump forming in his throat.

Taking care, Kenri unhooked his silver necklace, then drew it up around his friend's neck and hooked it there. He held a hand over the pendant where it dangled over Kyle's heart. "Keep this and our friendship close to your heart always," he bid.

Tears flooded into Kyle's eyes, and the image of his long-time companion wavered. "_'Dri_" His voice cracked on the single word.

The ghost only smiled, pressing his hand harder against his friend's chest. "I promise you, I'll return to you whole and sane, and when I do, you can give this backand this" He held both hands to either side of Kyle's head, thumbs on his temples. "Give this back to me when the right time comes. Do you understand?"

Even though he didn't really, Kyle nodded.

One red-ringed eye and one normal one closed, then blonde brows furrowed in concentration. "Remember," he ordered simply.

With a jerk, Kyle screamed, his fingers flying up to feebly pry at the ghost's hands, trying to remove them. Kenri only held firm, somewhere deep down feeling sorrow for the pain he knew he was causing, but unable to stop right then. He had to cause a little pain now if his future was going to be secured.

After an agonizing minute later, when Kyle's voice had died away to whimpers and moans and tears covered his cheeks, his body seized a few times then went completely limp. Wide eyes that swam with unrelenting tears stared straight into the warped sky above, lost in a trance. It was only then that Kenri pulled his hands away.

"I'm so sorry, Kyle. But I only trust you with my most prized possessions. Take care of yourself until I can return."

All the while, Beetlejuice had been staring over the back seat, watching. Continually, he resisted reaching over and pulling his son off of his friend, but he knew there must have been a reason for Kenri's behavior. Flailing arms and legs almost connected with his head on numerous occasions until everything settled down.

Lydia had witnessed the entire proceedings as well, and she was just about to open her mouth and ask just what the hell had happened when Kenri moved. He got up to one knee propped on the back seat and one foot to the floor, leaving Kyle a gasping, sweating mess, sprawled all over the back seat.

"Papa, Lydia, take care of Kyle for me. And rememberI love all of you."

In the next instant, the back seat was empty save for Kyle, and Kenri's blue trail of energy faded off into the distance toward the destruction in the town ahead.

"_Kenri!_ Dammit!" Beetlejuice shouted, slamming his foot to the gas. Doomie roared ahead, throwing everyone back into their seats.

* * *

Japanese / pronunciation / English Translation:

None

Next...Critical... 


	17. Condition Critical

A story about life, love, courage, and testing ultimate friendship. What happens to Beetlejuice and his friends when one of their own falls into despair and changes completely? Nothing will ever be the same. This story is an **Alternate Universe** set five years after _Dark Shadows_ in the year 2008, and does **not** follow the intended story line. I repeat, this story does **NOT** follow the intended story line of the two stories (_A New Beginning_ & _Dark Shadows_) included in my _Beetlejuice Afterlife_ series, which is why it is simply titled "Mania" and not "Beetlejuice Afterlife – Mania". If I have someone ask me why I would put this as a sequel, I'll ignore them, because, right here it says: **THIS STORY IS NOT A SEQUEL**. This story was just bursting to be written, but I have no intention to make it part of my previous series. It just happens to use that series' events as a prelude. I hope there is no confusion.

* * *

Things have reached a boiling point. The only thing left is to release the steam.

* * *

Mania  
Spencers13 – March 2003–March 2004  
R – Drama – Angst 

Chapter Sixteen – Condition Critical

Wild cackles drifted over piles of debris and unconscious bodies. A swirling ball of blue energy flew by, blowing another hole into a nearby building. Smoke poured from the cracked concrete, and the structure groaned with the strain to remain standing. The cackling that never ceased increased for a moment.

Hidari turned and fired into another random building. Fire, smoke, and debris flew past him, billowing his coat and playing with his hair, giving it a windswept look and a smoky smell. And he loved it. He loved all of it. The smell of burning anything always made him feel so good, and now was no exception. He reveled in the power he wielded and loved forcing his dominance over everything in his path. To him, he was the ultimate being. No one was more powerful nor prideful nor perfect. If no one would bow to him and acknowledge his greatness and do his will, then he would leave nothing standing.

Turning, he fired into another building, letting the smoke and chunks of brick fly by before he would aim at something else and blast that to pieces. But before it could happen, a piece of mortar zipped past a little too close and grazed Hidari's cheek. Instead of being angry, he grinned, swiping away the little bit of blood that escaped the scrape. His tongue removed the blood from his hand, then another grin exposed white teeth with sharp canines.

Two different eyes scanned around the unconscious bodies lying nearby. He stepped over to walk slowly among them and finally stooped to pick up the most humanoid-looking one of the bunch. His lavender tongue raked along the cheek, taking up a huge amount of blood already there, but spat it to the ground a second later. He growled disgustedly and threw the body back down, disturbed dirt spilling out from around the form.

How revolting that the blood wasn't that of a human. It was stale and bitter where human blood was sweet and intoxicating. Such a vile creature shouldn't be allowed to exist any longer. A glimmering ball of energy readied itself in Hidari's hand as he pointed it at the ghost at his feet.

From behind, a voice shouted, "Hidari!"

He whirled and growled, angry that he had been interrupted from his task.

Kenri slowly walked toward him, power and authority in his steps, dust spilling out from under his feet in small, powdery clouds. "Stop this madness, Hidari. You and I both know you're above this."

The hiss of a wild animal escaped from Hidari's throat as he took an attacking stance, ready to pounce on the new intruder. But with Kenri's appearance, his sanity wasn't as far from reach anymore, and the speech returned to his lips.

"Get away from me, weakling! I don't need your presence to taint me any longer."

"Without me, you are nothing," Kenri said flatly with strength his copy didn't think he had.

His eyes widened in incredulity. "You _dare_ speak that way to _me!_"

"I'm telling you how it is. You need put into place, Hidari."

"You piece of sh—!"

"Silence!"

Hidari started in shock of Kenri's assertiveness never before displayed.

"I have had enough of you, Hidari. You've been allowed to grow and fester for far too long. No one should have as much hatred in them as you." He stared into his doppelganger's face marred with a snarl. "It's time to go back."

"I'll _never_ join with you again!" Hidari spat.

"That isn't what I'm talking about."

He frowned. "I hate riddles. And I hate _you!_"

"You hate yourself?"

Rage made the insane blonde shake, his body tensed beyond reason. "Yes. I hate myself_everyone!_" His hand came up to wipe some saliva from the side of his mouth, then went back to growling each breath immediately after.

"Even Papa? Miss Lydia? Kyle?"

Hidari glowered. "Everyone," he confirmed with a dark growl.

Kenri sighed and hung his head a little. His eyes closed, and he nodded once. "I see. Well, thenit seems I'll have to wipe you out completely instead of saving a small part of you."

Absolute astonishment made the black-clad blonde's mouth hang open dumbly. But slowly, his lips twitched up into a smirk, and seconds later, he was laughing all out, tears budding at the corners of his eyes. "_You!_ Wipe _me_ out! _AH-ha-ha!_ Don't make me laugh! _Ha-ha-ha-ha!_"

Frowning, Kenri slowly slid into an attacking posture, fists poised, feet apart, knees bent slightly, body tensed to strike. "Fight me."

Hidari calmed to a chuckle. "Please. You can't be serious. You wouldn't last ten seconds against me."

"I saidshut up and fight me. Now." The eye containing the red Mania rings twitched. It was starting to become harder to control the rage and insanity that had been leaking into him at a steady pace since he arrived in the city. At least it would aid in his ability to fight.

Calming, Hidari sent a glare to his counterpart. "You _are_ serious, aren't you. _Hn._ Well, thentime to say goodbye, huh?"

"I have already said my goodbyesnow it's your turn."

"Finegoodbye, Kenri. Let me know how oblivion feels sometime."

A cloud of dust was the only signal that Hidari had dashed forward before fists and feet connected repeatedly to Kenri's body. He was systematically pounded into the dirt in seconds. Laughter rang through the air, drifting over to where he lay, embedded in a pile of rubble a few feet from where Hidari's heavy boots stood.

"I thought you were going to destroy me? The Mania must have given you a false ego. _Ha-ha-ha!_" The sound of rocks tumbling grabbed his attention, and he witnessed his copy standing up. No damage showed on him at all save for his now dirty clothes and mussed hair.

"You'll have to do better than that, Hidari."

The ghost growled in hatred, shouting, "Fine! I won't be gentle anymore!" He roared and leapt forward to punch, but Kenri blocked it with his forearm. His other hand tried to punch, but the placid side of Endri grabbed his fist. Hidari tried to kick next, but his counterpart blocked that with his knee. Roaring again, Hidari pulled away to power up blasts in both hands.

"You're _finiiiiiiished!_" he screamed in a deep voice, releasing the energy.

An explosion rocked the ground from up ahead again just as Doomie skidded to a halt along one of the city streets now covered with rubble. Broken buildings barely stood on either side of the road, and power poles and street lights were fallen, shooting dangerous sparks of electricity on occasion.

Beetlejuice stood on the front seat to see better, the smoke, fire, and debris near the ground a little hard to look through. Lydia sat in the passenger seat still, coughing from a little smoke inhalation.

"Endri! _Endri!_" Beetlejuice shouted into the murky distance.

Lydia coughed a few more times before being able to utter, "Is he back together yet?"

Another explosion and shouts rang out. Ahead, Hidari burst through a thick cloud of grey from between two buildings. It was a few hundred feet away and up, but Beetlejuice and Lydia could easily see he was flying backwards and throwing blasts wildly. Kenri emerged, chasing him, throwing blasts of his own.

"_Son_" the ghoul uttered.

A moan from the back seat drew their attention, and they both felt just a little guilty that they had forgotten about Kyle. Lydia climbed into the backseat and knelt over him, feeling over his forehead.

"Kyle? Are you all right?"

He only groaned and reached up with a heavy hand to hold his head.

While Lydia tended to their friend, Beetlejuice looked back at the two halves of Endri engaging in battle. Hidari had Kenri embedded into the side of a building at that point and was pounding his stomach and face without mercy. The sounds of his roaring laughter made its way through the streets and alleys of the abandoned city, echoing hauntingly.

The ghoul held his breath as he whispered to himself, "_They're gonna destroy each other._" He turned away from the scene to observe Lydia looking over Kyle who was still out of it. "What'd Kenri _do_ to you?"

The human just held his head, moaning. The tears continued pouring, their end nowhere in sight. A scratchy voice eked out from between dry lips, "_Thethe memories._"

Beetlejuice frowned. "Huh?"

Lydia just looked up at him, shrugging.

Laughter pulled the ghoul's attention away. Ahead, Hidari was powering up a firey blast as he backed away from beating Kenri. He fired it straight at his twin, enveloping him in the burning blue energy and blowing even the building away behind him. But when the smoke cleared, Kenri still floated there, his arms up across his face and his knees bent up a little to block.

Hidari roared in anger. "Dammit, will you ever just _go away!_"

Kenri chuckled, finding it hard to not for some reason. His other half fumed at the sound.

"This isn't funny, you lousy little—!"

"_AH-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha! Ah-ha-ha-ha-ha!_"

"You will not laugh at _meee!_" Hidari shrieked in a throaty scream.

Bearing his teeth, Kenri grinned, then parted his lips to say, "Time for _you_ to go away!" He pulled both arms back and to the side, twisting his torso until both of his cupped hands were no longer visible. With a determined grunt, he spun forward and released a ball of white energy that grew to man-size in the millisecond it took to reach Hidari. The ball covered him completely, masking him out of visibility, but vanished into glittery swirls a moment later, leaving the cruel ghost suspended motionless as if nothing had happened.

Beetlejuice and Lydia watched in amazement. And the ghoul had to wonder to himself, "_What are you up to, Kenri?_"

Lydia turned back to Kyle who was slowly coming to and calming down. His limbs twitched involuntarily, and the tears that had been pouring were slowing to a stop. She held his hand that squeezed with each twitch of his limbs, but the grip was comparable to a child's.

"It's okay, Kyle," she cooed to him soothingly.

The man only whimpered in reply, squeezing his eyes and facing to the side as if trying to look away from some horrible sight.

A few hundred feet away and about thirty feet straight up, Kenri floated over to his other half. He moved gradually, arms crossed and smiling. Hidari, on the other hand, shouted and screamed and struggled against the empty air around him. His body seemed immobile, frozen in one spot with his arms down near his sides and legs bent a little apart but still as a statue. Obscenities flew from his mouth along with building froth as he tried desperately to move.

Kenri came to a halt directly before his dark twin, watching him squirm and foam at the mouth for a minute. All he did was smile.

Hidari growled something, but it was totally incoherent.

"You're like an animal, Hidari. Wild, untamable, meant to be free but needing to be caged so you can't harm anyone," the light blonde said with understanding. He reached up his thumb and wiped the froth from his counterpart's mouth, pulling the wet digit away just before the ghost's teeth could snap down upon it. He dried his thumb, then reached back up and stroked the backs of his fingers down the side of Hidari's face softly. "Poor thing."

A snarl growled at Kenri through clenched teeth, but he only smiled in return.

"We both never got the love and nurturing we needed while we were still young and maturing. It's not really our fault or anyone else's—"

"All their fault!"

"—that we turned out the way we did. We were a decent person most of the timebut too many dark thoughts resided in us."

"They must pay!"

"Which is why we must halt things here and now. We must remove all the pain, hatred, and suffering we've endured throughout the centuries—wipe the slate clean—start afresh."

"You mean eliminate our memory! Fuck you! Eliminate your own fuckin' memory, you weakling! I will not be reduced to a mindless zombie just to make myself 'feel' better," Hidari spat.

Kenri frowned at that. "You don't seem to get the picture, Hidari. You have no choice in the matter."

One sensitive ear on the conversation since it began, Beetlejuice stared up, eyes brightening. "_So that's it._" He turned around and reached down with Lydia to help Kyle sit up.

"_En_" the human murmured, not feeling the hands and arms around him.

"_Arrrgh!_ Bastard! I'll get out of this and destroy you before you can even blink! You will not erase my memory! You will not take away who I am!" Hidari's eyes glossed over. "You will nottake away my identity. I-I ammy own being." A tear slipped down his cheek. Where was that strange feeling coming from! "I will not be reduced to nothing!" he cried, closing his wet eyes.

Kenri floated even closer, putting less than a foot between them. He cupped his opposite's cheek, wiping the tear away with the ball of his thumb. "My Hidariyou're overrun. You're tired. Let us both take a nice, peaceful sleep."

Kyle blinked his eyes open finally and looked up past Lydia's concerned face and the back of Beetlejuice's head at two blurry figures suspended in mid air. He lifted a shaking hand out between his friends as if trying to reach out and touch the floating figures so far away. "_En_"

Beetlejuice bit his lip at the pitiful sight and forced himself to look away and watch his rent son high in the sky. No matter how much he wanted to make them stop, he realized he shouldn't. Kenri had been right in the car. Existing like that was no way to spend eternity, and the ghoul didn't wish such pain upon his son any longer. Whatever happened, he would let happenbut he would hope for the best.

Hidari fought for a steady breath, his arms and shoulders twitching just slightly. "S-SleepyKenri," he grunted softly. His lids drooped like they had ten pound weights hanging from them, the irises loosing their sparkle. "Are yousleepy, Kenri?"

Nodding, the other ghost encased his twin in his arms, holding him in a gentle hug. "I am so very tired, Hidari," he answered, caressing hair identical to his own. He pulled back to look into his own face, cupping his cheek.

Hidari blinked slowly at Kenri, almost trance-like. "Kenriwhy can I sayI-I'm sorry?" he asked with untold innocence.

"We are becoming one again. You feel what I feel, and I you."

He could feel the sweetness of Kenri's emotions filling his heart, but for once in his existence, he didn't mind so much. In fact, it felt good—calming. But sadness pulled his features taut. "Are you really going to destroy me? W-Will I never see you again?" He didn't want that. He wanted to always know the kind, loving part of himself. He was just so wonderful to be around—so positiveeven though he hated him with a passion. Such was the way he had always been torn.

Kenri smiled at him. "Hidari" he cooed gently, with so much love. "We will always be together. Just look into a mirrorand I will be there."

"I will stillmiss you, Kenri."

He smiled more broadly. "And I you, Hidari." Holding his doppelganger close, he leaned in, softly kissing his cheek.

A bright, white glow rose and surrounded them both, and Hidari's two different eyes scanned around. His body was still frozen, cradled against his sweet side. "_KI'm scared,_" he admitted softly, shrinking as best as he could into the ghost holding him.

Kenri pulled his lips away from pale flesh and closed his eyes, cupping Hidari's head to his shoulder. "_Don't be. I'm right here._"

Squirming to stand, Kyle stumbled out of Doomie, Beetlejuice and Lydia right behind him.

"Nono, Endri! Don't—" He stumbled and fell, dust clouding out from beneath his body.

The ghoul ran up and knelt to help him, Lydia taking the opposite side. "Kyle, take it easy—"

"No! Don't let him, Beetle," the human begged, eyes glued to the white orb of light surrounding his best friend.

"I'm sorry" Beetlejuice told him and his love, not to mention to remind himself, "but I think this has to happen. I can't stop 'em."

"You don't understand!" he cried, looking from one of his friends that helped support him on his knees to the other, "You don't understand what he's trying to do!" He grabbed the ghoul's lapels. "You have to stop him! Please!"

Beetlejuice shook his head, tears in his eyes.

A bright flash caught everyone's attention, and all three looked up to the figures in the sky.

Kenri and Hidari held each other, the latter's body able to move again, now that he was combined enough with his opposite to not want to run. White pops of light sparked around them, and the constant glow that encased them looked like it had been sprinkled with iridescent glitter. To the rest of the world, their figures were almost so bright, they were hard to look upon.

Hidari shivered in Kenri's arms, and his lips moved against his shoulder, sending his muffled voice up to the other half ghost's ear. "_D-Don't leave me, Kenri. Please._"

The light blonde gripped tighter. "We will never part again." A quick glance below, and he took in his family looking up at them in shock and awe. "_Goodbye._" Two different eyes closed, and one single tear fell, sparkling.

The light intensified to the point where Beetlejuice, Lydia, and Kyle had to look away. Loud, roaring wind rushed past their bodies, making their ears pop with the sudden pressure change, and all three huddled to the ground next to Doomie. With the deep sound of an implosion, everything went quiet. The lighting faded and returned to dusk. All was silent and still.

Beetlejuice was the first to uncover his ears and look up. A quick scan of the area showed that Kenri and Hidari were nowhere in sight.

Lydia and Kyle looked up at that point, seeing the same thing.

"_E_" Lydia whispered, somehow knowing. The tears welled in her eyes, readying to fall.

"_No._" Kyle stood wobbly, holding a supporting hand on Doomie. "He's He's gone! He said he wouldn't leave!" He panicked, turning to his ghoulish friend. "How could you let him! Why didn't you stop him!"

Beetlejuice looked down sadly, feeling his lover's arms wrapping around him from the side in need of comfort. "I couldn't. I'm sorry." He ran a hand over his face and hair.

"Sorry! You just let my best friend wipe himself out!" Kyle cried in hurting anger.

The ghoul snapped his head up. "You think I don't know that! He's _my_ son!"

"Stop it, stop!" Lydia shouted, cowering into Beetlejuice's chest and hiding her face. "Please stop fighting. We _all_ lost him. There wasn't anything anyone could have done. He was gone from the very beginning; he told us so himself. _No one_ is to blame." She turned a little and looked out of the corner of her eye. "I know he was closer to you than anyone, Kyle, and I'm sorry" her face scrunched in sorrow, "_he's gone._" Tears fell. "But please don't take it out on BJ. He's not to blame for this. And n-neither are you." The sobs escaped at that point, and she buried her face in her lover's jacket, clinging to him tightly.

Beetlejuice held her to him, slumping his entire frame. "Maybemaybe it's better this way," he said to anyone who was listening, especially himself. "He wasn't happy being insane. His Mania was just too strong." He teared up, his jaw trembling. "M-Myb—"

"_Beep! Beep beep! Beeeep!_" Doomie honked for attention.

The ghoul looked up along with Kyle and Lydia. "Huh?" He looked out over the destroyed area to where Doomie had indicated, seeing some of the rubble shifting just slightly a few hundred feet ahead. He wiped his eyes and took a few cautious steps, not wanting to get any hopes up whatsoever. He had found the hard way that dreams could so easily be dashed.

With a wavering voice, Kyle called after him. "What the hell're you doing?" He leaned his backside against the car and looked away from the departing ghoul who hadn't answered, gazing at Lydia who watched her lover, seeming to not be as upset anymore. The only thing he could think of was that they were being insensitive about Endri's permanent death. Just the thought of it made his throat constrict, and he reached a shaking hand up to cover his eyes. Was _nothing_ ever fair?

Across the way, Beetlejuice knelt to the dusty earth suddenly. "Lydia! Kyle! Get over here!" he almost screamed, reaching down to move slabs of concrete away and pick something up.

Kyle blinked in thought at Lydia who wasn't waiting to be told twice. His blue eyes followed her running form as she joined the ghoul, kneeling and shouting something in shock. Before the human knew it, his feet were propelling him forward as well, and even though he was unsteady on them, he made it over rather quickly. He came to a stop beside Beetlejuice and Lydia, looking down at what they were marveling over.

Beetlejuice's arms cradled a small, nude boy. Short but shaggy blonde hair crowned his little head. Small pointed ears escaped the masses of sunlight, and dark lavender rings circled his closed eyes and stained their lids.

Recognition made Kyle almost fall over from shock. The little boy looked almost exactly like Endri would have if he was younger! The human unconsciously guessed he was about five years old.

Beetlejuice looked over to Lydia then up at Kyle with a mixture of hope and relief. "It's himisn't it? Endri." His green eyes fell back to the boy.

The little one moaned and blinked green eyes open. There were no red rings circling the irises, and they sparkled brightly, full of energy, like a newly dawned day in springtime. He looked up at the ghoul that held him for a minute, studying his features. A tired smile pulled at his youthful mouth, and a small, high voice spoke softly.

"Papa."

That was all it took for Beetlejuice to burst into tears and almost smother his son in kisses and hugs. "My little boy! You're okay! Aren't you? You're okay, right?"

The boy giggled, slowly waking up. "Yep. I'm okay, Papa. Butwhy you cryin'?" Little fingers reached up to brush at the dripping tears on his father's cheeks.

Beetlejuice sniffed and swallowed. "I'm justglad you're okay, kid. Really glad." He ruffled Endri's hair and cradled and rocked him.

The little boy hugged his father and looked over to the side, seeing Lydia kneeling next to them and smiling like there was no tomorrow. "Who's that, Papa?"

The ghoul looked over. "That's Lydia, Endri. She'smy girlfriend," he tried to explain.

"You're pretty," little Endri told her, reaching a small hand out.

Lydia giggled and took it, reaching out also to brush at his fluffy hair and cup his little cheek. "And you're very handsome. I think you get that from your papa," she said with a wink.

"_Aww_ shucks." Beetlejuice blushed.

Endri giggled and sat up in his father's lap, but as soon as he did, someone else came into his view, and he gasped, curling into his father's chest and hiding. Everyone was still as they watched him peep out over the ghoul's shoulder at Kyle who stared down at him, mouth open.

"Papawho's that?"

Kyle felt his heart seize and sagged a bit, the lump from before forming in his throat again.

Beetlejuice just smiled. "That's Kyle, Endri."

Warily, the little ghost boy looked the human over for a minute, almost as if he were judging him. But just as before when he studied his father, a smile pulled on his lips, and he reached out with both arms for Kyle to pick him up. Happily, Beetlejuice handed his son up to the human, and Kyle held him supported on his hip, staring into his little face in disbelief.

Endri giggled. "I like you!" he exclaimed happily, reaching up to finger through white hair. "Neat! I never seen it white before." He stared around Kyle's face, scanning with his pure green eyes, touching the human's ears and nose. Leaning in, he hugged the man, little arms wrapping around his neck. "You're warm, Mr. Kyle," he sighed almost tiredly, nuzzling the warm neck.

Kyle swallowed that damn lump, but it came right back. Saline water flooded his eyes and spilled over, and audible cries escaped his throat as he held his pintsized best friend tight. Beetlejuice and Lydia stood with him, wiping their own eyes and sniffing. The ghoul ran a hand over the little boy's hair as he hugged the weeping human just as fiercely.

Shaking his head suddenly, Kyle handed Endri back to his father, saying, "I-I can't do this. I'm sorry." He turned and took wobbly steps, attempting to leave the scene. The small family watched him go for a moment, but then followed him over until they came to Doomie. Beetlejuice handed little Endri over to Lydia with instructions to stay put in the car while he talked to Kyle, then ran over to where he had been walking.

"Where're you goin'?"

"Away from here."

"What? Why?"

"I can't take this anymore!" Kyle yelled, stopping when they were far enough away that Endri and Lydia couldn't hear them. "I've been able to handle _everything_ up until this point, even all the memories Endri stuffed into my head before he left, but _this_," he indicated the small boy bouncing in Doomie's front seat and giggling with Lydia, "this is just _too_ much."

"Memories?" the ghoul asked, confused.

The human sighed, sagging just a little. "He shoved every single one of his memories into my head so I couldkeep 'em for him, I guess. I think he didn't want to lose who he was and what he had with everyone, so he gave it all to me. I think he was planning turning back into a kid the whole timeso he could start over." He sighed again, tearing up. "Well, I can't start again, dammit! This is too much for me!"

Beetlejuice frowned. "You can't run away now. If what you say's true, I'll need your help with him. I—" he looked a little sad, "I have no idea how to raise a kid."

Kyle shook his head determinedly. "I will not help to raise my best friend to adulthood. That _isn't_ for me to do. He's your son; _you_ have to raise him. Lydia will help, and I'm sure Jacques and Ginger and everyone else will too. But I am _not_ going to be a part of this anymore. II've suffered long enough through this. This is where I get off."

"So you're just gonna abandon him?" the ghoul asked with sarcasm.

"That boy," he pointed, "has no idea who I am. He has no idea of the friendship we used to have. And it is _far_ too painful to look into his innocent eyes and realize the man I knewthe _ghost_ I knew is gone forever." His lips trembled, and Kyle wiped his eyes with a shaking hand. "I'm so sorry, Beetle. But I can't stay and face him and that feeling every day until I die or he grows up. But even if he grows up, he still won't be the person I met all those years ago. He won't be the ghost I came to know and love, and I—can't—handle—that," he growled through gritted teeth, tears glittering in his summer sky eyes. A tired sigh shuddered through his lips, and he cupped his head in a hand.

Beetlejuice remained quiet for a minute, occasionally glancing back to his son with Lydia. He allowed Kyle's words to work through him, doing his best to comprehend what he must have been feeling right then. After a short time, he dropped his green eyes to the ground between them.

"I understand. Where will you go?"

Kyle shook his head, shrugging. "I don't knowthe Real World, I guess. I still have my house in Montana. It'll be nice to," he took an unsteady breath, "go back."

Beetlejuice nodded, continuing to look down and not into the human's face. "Guess I can't change your mind. Take care then. I really appreciate all you did for me and Endri." He looked up finally, a smile on his face. "Will you ever visit?" His hand extended for Kyle to shake.

Swallowing, the human took up the hand. "No. I'm sorry. And please, don't come to see me either. II couldn't take it." He released the ghoul's hand and wiped his eyes again, sniffing. "Take care, Beetle. Raise h-him well." Kyle turned and took a few steps, but stopped and turned back. "One thing?"

"Yeah?"

"Tell him about me?"

Beetlejuice smirked. "I was planning on it."

Smiling sadly, Kyle waved. Before he turned, he took one last look back at Endri, then, tears in his eyes, he headed away slowly.

The ghoul watched him retreat with sadness in his heart, but the thought that his son was now well again and could start everything afresh wouldn't allow him to become depressed. And the thought that he could finally raise his son like he was meant to to begin with made a smile cross his pale lips. Quickly, he turned and jogged back to Doomie.

Endri was sitting in the driver's seat, twisting the wheel back and forth and pushing buttons making "vroom vrooom!" noises. Lydia sat beside him giggling at his cuteness, asking for him to drive her to different places, and praising him when he declared that they had arrived.

When the small boy looked up to see Beetlejuice approaching, he jumped up to stand on the seat and yelled, "Papa!" reaching his arms out to be picked up. "I was drivin', Papa! I tooked Miss Lydia all over town! It was fun!"

Beetlejuice laughed, lifting his son into his arms and hugging him. "That sounds like fun! Why don't we take a drive and go home?"

Endri nodded his head exaggeratedly, but halted and looked around until he saw Kyle's retreating form in the distance. "Where's Mr. Kyle goin'? Ain't he comin' wif us?"

Smiling sadly, the ghoul told him, "He's goin' home, kid."

"Where's his home?"

"Far, far away."

"Will he come back?"

Beetlejuice shook his head. "No, Endri. Not for a long time."

Endri suddenly felt sadness weighing him down, and he slumped in his father's arms, eyes staring at Kyle until he disappeared and little fingers lazily picking at black and white striped material. "He was really nice," his small voice said softly.

His father smiled and tried to cheer him up before the water works could start. "Let's go home, and I'll tell you all about him."

Endri perked up and hugged his father as hard as he could. "Yay! I'm hungry too!"

"I'll get ya somethin'."

The ghoul sat his son in the center of the front seat beside Lydia and gave him his striped jacket to cover his nakedness. He chuckled at how cute the little boy looked in the oversized coat while he helped Lydia buckle him in. When everyone was properly secured, he started up the car and took off back to the Roadhouse.

Cleanup for the town's destruction wasn't in Beetlejuice's job description. That was what Neitherworld cleanup crews were for.

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Japanese / pronunciation / English Translation:

None

Next...Finality... 


	18. The Final Farewell

A story about life, love, courage, and testing ultimate friendship. What happens to Beetlejuice and his friends when one of their own falls into despair and changes completely? Nothing will ever be the same. This story is an **Alternate Universe** set five years after _Dark Shadows_ in the year 2008, and does **not** follow the intended story line. I repeat, this story does **NOT** follow the intended story line of the two stories (_A New Beginning_ & _Dark Shadows_) included in my _Beetlejuice Afterlife_ series, which is why it is simply titled "Mania" and not "Beetlejuice Afterlife – Mania". If I have someone ask me why I would put this as a sequel, I'll ignore them, because, right here it says: **THIS STORY IS NOT A SEQUEL**. This story was just bursting to be written, but I have no intention to make it part of my previous series. It just happens to use that series' events as a prelude. I hope there is no confusion.

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And now, things are brought to a close. Thank you for reading. I'm grateful for the time you took out of your day to read over my work. It's very much appreciated.

Wanda, thank you for sticking with this story all the way through when I know you'd rather be reading more about BJ and Lydia. I really do appreciate your time and attention and reviews. They always make me feel good, and so do you. Love ya, sissy.

Maya Beebop, thank you for your reviews. You vanished somewhere along the way, but I'm glad that what you read, you liked. You're an awesome person, and maybe sometime we can collaborate on something. I think it would be fun.

Kelly, I'm thankful you took interest in this story, and I was always happy to see a review from you. If I ever post another story, I hope you're there.

SpicyHollyElf, thank you for your reviews as well. They meant a lot. I hope you come back for any other BJ story I might happen to post.

Everyone, take care, thank you for all your time and reviews, and I look forward to next time.

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Mania  
Spencers13 – March 2003–March 2004  
R – Drama – Angst 

Chapter Seventeen – The Final Farewell

Time passed once more, as it always seemed to do. Near the outer edge of the Neitherworld, Beetlejuice and his family and friends did their best to help raise Endri back to adulthood. He grew and matured all over again with the love of his father and friends to nurture him the way he was meant to be from the very beginning. They did all they could to teach him everything he used to know and to make sure he turned out relatively the same. They taught him all of the languages he used to know, all the martial arts and fighting styles he used to do, and everything else they could think of.

Of course, there were some noticeable differences in Endri's personality, but that was to be expected. He was a very happy person, always open and always friendly. Everyone he met turned out to like him almost instantly, and he soon became very popular among crowds and had many friends. And even though his father was the unscrupulous Beetlejuice, Endri still held firm to his innocence. It seemed nothing could season him or roughen his edges. He was always bright and full of youth and curiousness, even as he aged and became more mature.

But during all that time, Kyle remained in the Real World, oblivious as to how his best friend was and what he and everyone else was doing. The years passed him by much slower than they did for his friends in another world, and every holiday left him realizing just how alone he was.

He stayed off to himself much of the time, living in his large, two-story, estate-like home in Montana and passing the time by gardening around his house, taking long walks in the woods, and watching television.

To keep afloat, he wrote a few blockbuster computer programs and software that skyrocketed his funds into the millions. But the wealth and little bit of fame that came with it couldn't buy him happiness. He had left that behind years ago. Instead, he used it to pay the bills and keep his home up and running.

After a few years, Kyle bought a dog to keep himself company. It lifted his spirits somewhat, but it just wasn't the same as interaction with another person. He named the Husky "Smoke" and treated it better than he would have a child. He played with it in the summer, running around in the back yard and throwing sticks and bones for it to fetch and return. In the winter, he would dress warmly and bound through the snow with his beloved pet, jumping and laughing, exercising the dog as well as himself.

One cold winter, however, Kyle went out into the back yard to play once more, but found Smoke lying outside his dog house frozen stiff. He wept over the animal, his tears freezing to his cheeks in the bitter weather. That evening, he overexerted himself trying to dig a grave for his beautiful dog and collapsed to the ground, chest heaving and pain filling his body. He almost allowed himself to lie out there next to the animal and freeze to death along with it, but remembered that someday, Endri was going to come back for his necklace and memories. So he dragged himself to his feet, finished digging the grave, then buried Smoke for his permanent rest. He never owned another pet after that.

Often, the human would go into his bedroom and close and lock the door. He would draw the blinds on all the windows and lock himself out of his adjoining bathroom. Then he would sit on the bed and close his eyes, letting his mind drift over the memories Endri had given him. It was like he was there in the ghost's place, the events happening to him personally, and too many of them wound up with Kyle screaming out of his mind for some reason or the other. He could almost feel the pain inflicted to the ghost's body on his own. He could feel the heartache, the sorrow, and loss just as if it was his own. But no matter how terrible the memories were or how awful they made him feel, he would always go back for more, _needing_ to know and understand who Endri was and what made him the ghost he had known and cared for.

It went on that way for years upon years, until finally, one night, Kyle found himself on the couch again, staring into the burning fireplace. A framed picture sat on the coffee table right in his line of sight—a picture of himself and Endri. Kyle was leaning across his best friend's shoulders, grinning and giving the victory sign to the camera, and Endri just stood there with his arms crossed, but a smirk was on his lips, betraying happiness. The photo was taken just after they found their fifth Wormgate Key in Asia. But even though the picture and fire beyond it were warm, they offered no comfort to Kyle's loneliness.

_I came back to this place, fixed it up, got a job, paid my bills, and lived pretty decently for the last twenty yearsbut it doesn't feel like home anymore. This **is** my home. My great grandfather built it and it's been passed clear down to me. I've lived here for so long, but it doesn't **feel** like **home**. What is it missing? What am **I** missing?_ He stared at the picture again, letting his mind drift to its subjects.

_I wonder what they're all up to right now. Do they even remember me anymore?_

Sighing, Kyle leaned his head back against the couch. An old, aching hand lifted before his drooping eyes, flexing stiffly. _It's possible I'll see them all againsoon. My body is less than slowly falling apart. Dammit, this isn't how I wanted to go!_ He grunted and lowered his hand. _I have so little left to look forward to in my life. Sometimes I wish I could just die, and it would all be over._

Kyle shivered as he stared into the fire, wrapping sweatshirt-clad arms around his frail self to help keep the heat in. Slowly, absently, his old, wrinkled hand fingered the silver pendant around his neck. Drowsiness began to set in, and he closed his eyes, willing to partake in another nap—the third for that day.

A while passed, and the human drifted in and out of sleep, not acknowledging the passage of time. His eyes snapped open, sensing another presence in the room. His heart picked up when he recognized the feeling from the presence, even after so long, and smelled something so familiar. The scent of vanilla and sugar warmed over a fire filled his nose, a smell he had always recognized on Endri. It couldn't be! But Kyle didn't turn to look. His old mind could have been playing ticks on him.

Soft footfalls on the plush carpeting sounded behind him, and a voice just as soft followed.

"Pardon my intrusion"

Kyle almost felt like jumping up and dancing. It was Endri's voice. Even after so long, he remembered what his best friend sounded like, and it was like a breath of fresh air.

"I had a feeling you wouldn't be frightened by my sudden appearance."

Not knowing what else to do, Kyle nodded slowly. He stared into the picture of himself and his friend again, imagining that same person standing behind him. An audible sigh of relief reached his ears.

"You probably want to know who I am and why I'm invading your homebut I have another feeling you already know those answers as well."

The human nodded absently again as his eyes began to swim, blurring the picture he stared at. Behind him, Endri swallowed with nervousness.

"I-I would feel better if I justified myself, though. I have to make sure."

Kyle nodded again.

Endri took a breath. "I am a ghost, sir," he started off, almost proudly. "And my father told me that most Humans are afraid of creatures like me, and that I should generally stay away from them. But he kept telling me about some Humans that were different. Especially a human with white hair and blue eyes who was the most devoted friend anyone could ask for. My father also gave me the human's name and told me where he lived. But he said to not see this human until the right time, and that I'll know when that time was." He took a breath to steel his nerves. "I am here, in Brown Hill, Montana, seeking Mr. Kyle Gavan Bennington. Tell meare you he?"

Kyle closed his eyes and just allowed the tears to fall. He opened his mouth, but his voice had long since dried up and evaporated into dust.

"Sir?"

Reaching up, he wiped a wrinkled, trembling hand over his eyes. He sat forward, still yet to turn and acknowledge his guest, and picked the picture up from the coffee table. Leaning back into the couch again, he looked at the old photograph then held it face down to his chest, letting more tears come. He just couldn't help feeling devastated that Endri didn't remember him, even though he knew he wouldn't. It was so hard to realize.

"Sir, please. Are you Kyle? I must know," the ghost urged from behind.

Kyle opened his lips again, and a scratchy, old voice escaped. "I am he." He heard Endri's breath hitch and more advancing steps.

Coming up behind the couch at the corner, the ghost tried to look around at Kyle's face, but the human turned his head to the side. "Do you know who _I_ am?" his excited voice asked.

Kyle swallowed with difficulty. "Endrithi." The name was spoken softly, the "r" rolled and the "th" spoken with precision.

Endri's eyes widened. "You _are_ him! I knew it! I was thrown a little by your hair; it isn't completely white. But somehow, I just _knew_ it was you!"

Kyle just sat there, facing away. His hair _wasn't_ pure white anymore, just like the ghost had noticed. Time and old age had yellowed it to an almost light blonde.

Standing at the arm of the couch in a strong, confident stance, Endri spoke with conviction. "I've come to you, Kyle, for I felt that now was the right time to do so. Today was my twentieth anniversary from the day I changed, and all day I could think of nothing but finally meeting the noble human my father told me so many stories about."

The way he spoke, it was very obvious that Endri looked up to Kyle quite a bit.

Swallowing and not looking, Kyle rasped, "What all did Beetlejuice tell you?"

The ghost grinned. That was _definitely_ the right person! "He told me many storiesall of which I'm positive are true, now that I see you in person."

"Like what?"

"Wellhe said you and I were the best of friends, and that one time," he chuckled, "we dressed up like FBI agents and searched through Miss Lydia's house. He said her eccentric mother grabbed you up and forced you to look at her horrible artwork." He chuckled again. "That one is my favorite."

The aged human couldn't help but smile a little. He remembered those events as wellfrom two different perspectives now. "Sohe told you everything?"

A downcast look crossed Endri's features. "Y-Yes, he did. Apparently, I went through an entire other existence before the one I'm in now. He left out a lot of details because he probably didn't know them, but he did tell me II wasn't a verystable person."

Kyle remained silent.

Timidly, the ghost took one step forward. "Do you know about me? About how I was?"

"I know everything about you, Endri," the human confirmed, smirking to himself.

Endri tilted his head to the side as if it could help him see better. "Why won't you face me?"

Kyle's shoulders sagged, and he fell silent again for a moment. "II'm too old for you now, Endri. I never wanted you to see me likethis." His voice cracked on the word.

Shocked, the ghost held a hand against the top corner of the couch and leaned forward a little. "Butdon't tell me I came at the wrong time. Does that mean you don't want to see me?" Hurt pinched at his gut, and he was on the razor's edge of being devastated that his would-be hero possibly wanted nothing to do with him.

Kyle wiped his eyes again. They just wouldn't stay dry. "No, no, Endri. That's not what I mean. I just never wanted you to lay your eyes on me as abroken old man. You make it seem like I'm really important. I don't want to disappoint you."

Endri shortened the distance between them with another step. "May I sit, please?"

Nodding, the human inhaled a breath to calm the fluttering in his stomach.

The ghost sat next to him, gently laying a hand to his shoulder and marveling at the warmth he felt. For him, to touch a human other than to give Lydia a hug when she came over was a rare and precious thing. "How you look now won't affect what I think about you." He paused a second, then added, "I thought you knew me."

That struck Kyle right where it stung the most, and he fought to keep the building tears in.

"Face me, please. You don't know how long I've been waiting to see you."

Swallowing, the human rotated his head very slowly to face Endri. Blue eyes widened when he finally took in his best friend after twenty long years. The memory and pictures of him did him no justice for he was so different. But at the same time, he was exactly the same. Endri himself was and had always been a contradiction of terms.

The ghost's body was much thinner than before, but tightly ripped muscles still decorated every inch of his frame. His pale-blonde hair fell to just below his shoulders, but his bangs were still the same, falling down to his lips and framing his face. A small lock of the blonde hair was braided along the left side, tucked behind a pointed ear pierced with a small silver loop through the lobe. He wore a brown, no-sleeved, short jacket with a tight white tank top beneath, exposing his pale upper chest and all of his arms from the shoulder down. A regular pair of blue jeans clung to his legs, and clunky brown boots with lots of excess leather cuffs covered his feet. Actually, Endri looked a lot like a modern Viking might have. But even how old he looked was different. He seemed more like a teen than a twenty-five year old, which was the point at which most ghosts ceased to age physically.

Kyle swallowed, looking his old friend up and down, his breath shallow and mouth open.

Endri took the human in as well, staring into his face that _did_ look old, but not that it mattered. He was simply in awe that he was finally looking into the face of the person he was raised to think was the most wonderful person to ever exist.

A sudden, soft gasp left him, and he recoiled a fraction at the sight of a tear dripping down Kyle's cheek. That wasn't right, was it? How could such an incredible person cry? Endri didn't think it was possible. He had always thought the human was an exception, that he was above everything, and that none of the unpleasant emotions that the ghost experienced could ever affect him. But even though he was shocked that Kyle could cry, he was intensely curious. He had never been close to a human except for Lydia, at least during his second chance at an afterlife anyway. It had always been like going to a toy store and being told he could look but not touch. Wellno one was telling him to keep his hands off _this_ time.

Hesitantly, Endri leaned forward, lifting a hand. Very softly, he ran a fingertip along the wet trail the tear had left behind on Kyle's wrinkled cheek, gathering the moisture. He brought it to his line of sight and looked at it curiously, rubbing the wetness around his fingertips to learn the feel of it. Training his eyes back to the human, he slowly put the fingertip into his mouth and sucked it off.

Kyle watched, frozen, his eyes glistening with more of those tears. The whole thing reminded him of when Endri had wiped his tears and licked them away before when they were sitting at a pond of saline water surrounded by willows at sunset.

Endri slowly pulled his finger from his mouth, tilting his head a little to the side. "Isis this what Human sadness tastes like?" he wondered with all the curiousness of a little boy.

Smirking lightly, Kyle closed his eyes and relaxed back just a little. "If you think so."

"Why are you sad?"

"I'm not," he said, opening his eyes again. "I'm veryvery happy. It's good to see you again, Endri. Real good."

The ghost smiled brightly. The gesture looked so new to Kyle, but it looked like it belonged on Endri's face now. If he were to scowl, it just wouldn't look right on him anymore.

The human took notice to his friend's hands twitching just a little.

"I-I have waited so longbeen told so much about you. I feel like I know you, yet we've never metbut we _have_. It's so strange." White teeth softly bit a full bottom lip. "Ig-guess I'm a little excited. Forgive me if I seem a little" He bit his lip again, looking like it was taking a huge effort to sit still. Blonde hair flew out as Endri fell forward, wrapping his arms around Kyle and hugging tightly, putting his head to the man's chest, his pierced left ear over his thudding heart. "_Watakushi o sonkei suru_Kyle-_sama_!" he cried.

The human sat in shocked silence, but it was the action, not the ecstatic words, that surprised him so. He had always been used to Endri speaking in Japanese around and to him, so, after a while, he didn't need a translation anymore. He would just listen to the voice inflexion to realize how important what the ghost was saying was to him. And after that moment of letting everything sink in, Kyle reached up to gently touch Endri's hair. "__" He threw his arms around him as best he could and hugged right back, burying his face in blonde masses. "_I missed you. I missed you._" he whimpered.

Grinning against soft sweatshirt, Endri held tight to his friend, but felt something hard against his chest. He reluctantly pulled away and picked up the picture frame that Kyle was holding and had gotten pinned between them. Slowly, he turned the frame to reveal the picture to himself. Sparkling green eyes widened and pale lips parted a bit. Lightly shaking fingertips traced over the glass where his image was standing next to a much younger-looking Kyle. "Isthis me?"

Kyle sniffed and nodded. "Yeah."

The ghost stared. "II looked so old."

Frowning, the human leaned around to look. "You didn't look old. You always looked so young."

Endri shook his head. "No. I see the hardships this person faced. I see the toll they all took on him. This was an old, bitter man."

Kyle took the picture from his friend's fingers and stared fondly into it for a moment. "This was my best friend." The words he spoke himself somehow reminded him, and he laid the frame to his lap to free his hands so he could reach up to his neck and fumble with the clasp of the old necklace. "Oh! I almost forgot. I'm supposed to give this back to you. It's yours from a long time ago. You gave it to me to keep until you came back." His old fingers bungled and refused to work properly, and the necklace remained clasped, much to his frustration.

Smiling softly, Endri leaned over, gently taking the man's wrists in his hands and pulling them away. "It's okay; I'll get it." He reached around, and with a quick twist of his fingers, unhooked the clasp and pulled the chain away from Kyle's neck.

The human sagged a little, disappointed he couldn't complete his appointed mission due to old age but refused to give up. He took the chain from his longtime partner and lifted it around his neck. "This is _my_ job, though," he said determinedly, pushing thick blonde hair out of the way. He had less trouble getting it latched than unlatched, and when the necklace was dangling elegantly around the ghost's neck, he finally felt as if some part of him was complete—that after all of the long years of waiting, his mission was at last over.

Endri sighed and closed his eyes, also feeling some sort of completion. Absently, he reached up to cup the pendant against his still heart—the silver was still warm—feeling Kyle's hands gripping his shoulders. In the back of his mind, he hoped the warm touch would never vanish, that he could always be so close to the wonderful human he simply knew as Kyle. His eyes drifted open to take in his friend and smiled broadly before looking down to behold the picture still in the man's lap. There was something else that was bothering him now. The unspoken goal to have his necklace returned now complete, something else needed to be taken care of. But what was it? He stared at the picture, letting his mind wander.

"You knew about himabout me," he said bemusedly, eyes not really focused on the picture anymore, but still staring. "What can you tell me? What was I like? What did I do?"

Slowly sitting forward, the human put the picture back to the table then stared into the fire, elbows to his knees. "Are you sure you wanna know?"

Blinking his daze away, Endri sat up straight, confident. "Yes, I am."

Kyle lifted a withered hand and pointed to his temple, tapping the digit lightly. "In hereare all the memories of your existence from before you changed and grew up again. You gave 'em to me to keep for you until you came backjust like the necklace."

The ghost sat, silent.

"Butthey're prettyharsh. Are you sure you wanna remember something as terrible as that? Are you sure you can handle it? 'Cause they nearly killed me when you shoved 'em in my head."

Endri leaned forward almost shocked. "I did that to you! I hurt you like that!"

Kyle just waved him off tiredly. "It's all right. It was necessary. I eventually came to terms and sorted it all out." He allowed an empty chuckle to escape his throat. "All the shit you've been through, Endri. I'd have been surprised if you _hadn't_ gone insane." He paused a moment to listen to the fire snap. "Every once in a while, I think back over some of your experiencesthe shit you facedin a way, it was like it was me instead. It still makes me bawl like a baby, and that ain't the easiest thing for a guy to admit."

The ghost swallowed.

"Do you think you can handle your own past, Endri?" he asked, not averting his eyes from the fire.

Mouth setting determinedly, Endri said, "From what I know, I had no one before my family in the Neitherworld besides you. And I don't think I was strong enough to deal with what happened to me in my past. But I've grown up for the last twenty years with a family who loves me—friends who love me. I think I have enough of that love and stability under my belt to deal with the things of my past and not be overwhelmed." He put a hand to Kyle's shoulder, and the man turned his head to face him. "I'm ready."

Kyle swallowed even though he nodded. Hundreds of "what if's" ran through his head the moment his friend voiced his readiness. What if Endri _couldn't_ handle it? What if he developed the Mania again? What if he went completely mad and tried to wipe himself out again? And, worst of all, what if he succeeded? And yetit was what his friend wanted. And Kyle would never say no to his best friend. Besidesit was meant to be that way. He was only holding those memories for his friend until he came back to get themand now he was back. Kyle's mission was near completedat long last.

"Thengo ahead. Take 'em back."

With a swallow, Endri licked his lips. His hands slowly reached up, cupping Kyle's head, thumbs at his temples, though why he positioned them there, he wasn't sure. Nervousness spread over his being as well as sweat beginning to emerge from exposed flesh.

The human laid one withered hand to one tight-skinned forearm. "Are you sure?"

A moment of hesitation slipped by, but soon, the young-looking ghost's features relaxed into confidence. He nodded just once, staring resolutely into Kyle's eyes, firmly holding his head, but with a level of gentleness as well. The human's eyesthey seemed sodeep—like the deep blue of the highest point of a summer sky. They could even be considered lovelybeautiful. Something that still looked bright and clear, even though Kyle himself was old, paling, and withered. But as he stared into those clear, blue skies, they slowly clouded over, swirled with darkness, even flashed with tiny sparks of lighting. They pulled him in, and he couldn't help but fall.

Blackness. It surrounded him on all sides, rushed past his body, even tore though his being, stripping him naked and tossing his hair about his head like whipping tendrils. But that didn't last long for just as quickly as the emptiness swallowed him, flashes of light blinded him, popping in front, to the sides, and behind him, illuminating the darkness to show him things ofit was horrible! He couldn't bear to see! But his eyes seemed riveted open, being forced to watch, to listen, to feel.

Faces blurred past him, hundreds of them, thousands, all with names attached. Events unfolded, some in the blink of an eye, some very slowly, seeming to take years. Emotions overpowered him. They bombarded him from all sides, beating into him, diving into his skin like creatures of darkness and burrowing inside. Once in there, they multiplied. It felt like his skin was boiling—like he was being torn apart from the inside out. Voices screamed and hurt his ears, some intelligible, some not.

"_Murderer_"

"_Help me! Agkk!_"

"_Go back where you belong!_"

"_A ghost! Get away from me!_"

"_it's him! It's The Viking!_"

Another voice, that one very familiar, rang out after the others died away, leaving him broken and hardly responsive anymore. But the new voice was soft, gentle, and so wonderfully comforting, it made all the pain and torment and horror drift away like a bad dream.

"_You always seem to make me forget all the bad shit that ever happened to me. I don't know what I'd do without you, Endri._"

Blackness.

* * *

"_EndriEndri, wake up! Please don't tell me this all backfired. Wake up!_"

Endri blinked his eyes open, seeing nothing but blank white. At first, he felt nothing. He thought he was floating in a vast ocean of emptiness, but slowly, his senses returned, as if waking from a deep sleep to a bright new day. Kyle's old face suddenly loomed into his view, staring down with worry. It was only then that the ghost realized he was lying on the floor of the human's home, staring up at the white plaster ceiling.

"'Dri? You okay? Can you sit up?"

Endri did so, but slowly, caught in a daze. Lithe fingers reached up to wipe the sweat from his face, only then realizing that it wasn't sweat at all, but tears. He had been crying.

"Kylewhat happened?"

"You went into some kinda shock and passed out. I tried to stop you from falling, but" he flexed sore, throbbing hands, "my strength ain't what it used to be."

The ghost smiled up at him, feeling better and better as the moments progressed. "It's okay." He looked around the room, trying to find a clock. "How long was I out?"

Kyle shook his head. "About a minutemaybe two." His blue eyes took his friend in from top to bottom, almost as if trying to see if he had changed in those two minutes. "So?"

Endri smirked. "So what?"

"Do you remember?"

"Remember what?"

Surprise pulled the human's yellowed brows up. "Aw man! It didn't work? I-I thought—" A light-hearted laugh cut him off.

"I'm just kidding. I rememberPartner."

Kyle couldn't hold back the grin. "Yeah? Everything? Really?"

Endri chuckled again, tilting his head to the side a little in that way of his. "Yeah. Everything. Really."

"And you'reokay?" The human leaned forward, squinting and trying to see if the red rings had resurfaced in his friend's eyes. To that day, he still remembered and feared that sight.

But the blonde just nodded, his eyes the same as always. "I feel better than ever."

Standing, he reached down to help Kyle up, gripping his almost frail hand and pulling to get him to stand. As the man stood shakily, he grunted in pain and pulled the hand to himself when he was standing fully.

"Kylewhy aren't you taking medication for your arthritis?"

The human sent him a sideways glance. "How'd you know I wasn't?"

Endri cast his eyes away, somehow unable to look at his friend as he admitted, "I-uhseem to have not only my memories, butyours as well. They must have transferred by accident. I know everything you knew up until this point."

Kyle pointed a shaking finger at him. "Don't be diggin' in personal shit, dammit."

"Even if I did, you know I'd never squeal," his friend said with a cocky smirk. A strange look was leveled on him, and he frowned at the source. "What?"

The human looked away. "You're just sodifferent now, 'Dri. You're younger. You talk different."

Endri stepped up to him, cupping his shoulders in each hand with reassurance. "But I'm the same person outside and in, now. Ihad hoped that none of this would come between us."

Kyle shook his head. "Oh, no! No, no, I won't let it. Dammit, 'Dri, it's just so good to see you and have you all back together!" He quirked a brow again. "Though you do look like a punk."

Sparkling green eyes widened in surprise followed by a moment of absolute stillness. Bright, mirthful laughter spilled forth from pale lips as Endri closed his eyes and tilted his head back a little. Leave it to Kyle to break a difficult moment in favor of some humor. And the human also laughed, joining his friend in a good-natured chuckle for the fist time in literally decades. As soon as the laughter died down to light chuckles and snickers, both suddenly quieted and threw themselves into a fierce embrace.

"I missed you, you fuckin' son of a bitch," Kyle mumbled into Endri's shoulder, his eyes hidden against it. "Why does everything have to be so complicated with you?"

Endri smirked, holding his friend tightly. "Not anymore, Kyle. Everything's over. Thishere and nowis the end. Now there's nothing to stand in your, my, or my family's way that would hinder our happiness. As they say in the storybooksthis is where the 'happily ever after' comes in."

After hearing that, the human squeezed his eyes tight, and gripped his fingers into the soft leather of his friend's jacket in back. He pulled away soon after, sadness shining in his eyes. "You're wrong."

"Uh?"

"There _is_ something standing in our way that's hindering happiness."

Concerned, Endri asked, "What?"

Kyle dropped his eyes, unable to look at his friend as he uttered quietly, "Me."

"You? But how?" the ghost asked, surprised.

"Look at me, Endri. There's no way I can enjoy any life I could have with you and everyone else. I'm too old."

Endri huffed. "Don't be ridiculous."

"I'm being honest!"

Swallowing, he watched Kyle as the man sighed and sat back to the couch, rubbing a hand over his forehead. As he sat as well, his friend lifted his weary gaze to him.

"Look at me, 'Dri. I look like an eighty-year-old manbut I'm only sixty-six! Why?"

Endri licked his lips and looked away almost shamefully.

"Was it your traumatic memories that aged me so quick?"

Blonde hair flailed out as the ghost's head twisted back to look quickly. "No! It wasn't my memories. If I knew they would have aged you quickly, I never would have given them to you in the first place."

"Then why? Do you know?"

Endri looked away again. "II suppose it was a little my fault. But really, it couldn't have been helped, even if I wanted to."

Kyle only frowned.

With a sigh, his friend continued. "While you lived with me and Papa, you were obviously near at least one of us constantly. Even before that when you and I were partners here for ten years, you were always around me. You know Papa and I are powerful. That power resides in ourselves, but it also is given off our bodies and hovers around us like an aura. When you came near one of us, you stepped through that energy and it flowed through you, inside and out. Apparently, it affected you by regenerating your cells and kept you youthful-looking and healthy. I'm assuming that without us being near you, your cells haven't been regenerating and have actually started deteriorating faster without the support your body's had for so many years."

For a while, Kyle just sat and contemplated that explanation. Could that really have been it? Could that really have been why he was always so young for the longest time, then suddenly aged beyond reason after he left his friends and the Neitherworld?

It was always so strange, that while he was living in the Neitherworld with Beetlejuice, Endri, and everyone else, his aging process seemed to have slowed to almost nothing. When he left that plane at forty–four, he still looked only in his twenties or early thirties. But now that he was away from the Neitherworld, away from his friends, his body seemed to have caught up with his age with a vengeance. At only sixty–six, he really felt and looked like eighty.

"_Hn_I _thought_ you had something to do with it." The man smirked and looked at Endri. "So if I live with you guys againI'll become younger?"

Sadness drifted into Endri's eyes just before he averted them. "No. You wouldjust remain the way you are now."

Kyle grunted and crossed his arms, staring into the fire now. He chose not to speak for a long time, letting silence change the mood from apprehension to downright sadness. "I" He stopped and went silent again, thinking and considering. His best friend just swallowed and waited for his old lips to part and tell him something that was hopefully worth hearing. "I'm sorry, 'Dri, butI don't want anyone to see me like this. And I sure as hell know I don't wanna live like this for longer than need be. Justtell everyone I said 'hi'," he said flippantly.

Endri's quiet voice met his ears. "They were all looking forward to seeing you. They thought I'd be bringing you back with me."

"I'd like to go backbut not like this."

The ghost smiled then. "Then I'll stay here."

Kyle looked over in surprise. "What? No, no, I can't ask you to—"

Endri just waved for him to quiet. "No arguments, Kyle. You've been alone far too long now. I won't allow that anymore."

But Kyle shook his head. "You don't understand. I'm—too—old," he grunted, saying each word separately to get the meaning across. "At the rate things are goin', I'll be dead in about five to ten more years. But with you around, I'll stop aging again and stay this way much longer. I couldn't stand that. Please, 'Drihave mercy on an old man."

"But" Endri huffed, feeling helpless and almost desperate, "I've waited so longand now I must wait even longer?" He looked away, gritting his teeth. "I've missed you so much." Green eyes returned to blue ones, that feeling of desperation visible in their depths. "Now that I finally come to see you, you send me away!"

"Come-on, Endri, you know it's not like that!"

"Well, that's what it feels like!"

Huffing, Kyle sat back against the couch, glaring angrily into the fire and muttering, "If I could just keel over right now, things would be so much simpler."

Endri snorted and crossed his arms, also staring into the fire with hurt, angry eyes.

With a sudden realization, the human smiled lightly, sighing and leaning back to look off at nothing distantly. "'Dri?" he asked, soft and quiet. The tone made his friend soften immediately.

"Yeah, Kyle?"

"While you were growin' up againdid you ever watch the sun set?"

Endri smiled almost dreamily. "I watched them a lot. But I always feltlike something was missinglike I was alone." He looked over. "I think I know why now."

Kyle smiled as well. "Me too." After a little while of silence save for the crackling of the fireplace, that wistful smile faded. "I'm tired of watching sunsets alone, Endri."

"Me too."

The human looked over to his friend, a soft smile on his old face. "'Dri? Could you grant an old man a favor?"

Endri frowned. "Stop talking about yourself like that."

"Please, 'Dri?"

He sighed with a smile, then nodded. "Sure, Kyle. Anything."

Kyle smiled as well. "Kill me?"

Endri almost fell over in shock. He stared in disbelief at his best friend for a second, unable to comprehend _why_ he would ask such a _ridiculous_ thing! "What! I can't believe—!"

The human waved for silence. "Hear me out."

His friend continued to stare at him incredulously.

"I'm miserable. I'm tired. I hurt all the time. I'm lonely. I want to be with you and my friends again. I don't want them to see a shriveled old man. I want them to see a bright, youthful man, bursting with energy." He sighed in frustration. "I wanna be _happy_, Endri. And I know you can do that for me."

Endri looked almost desperate again, but felt he was fighting a losing battleone he realized was probably over before it began. "Butbut I like you better alive. Please, don't ask this of me, Kyle. I'd never be able to live with myself."

Kyle flexed his sore hands while giving his best friend a pleading look. "_Please._ It's my request, 'Dri. You don't have to worry about me blaming you. I _want_ you to."

With a grunt and a push, Endri stood and began pacing before the fire, arms crossed and not looking very happy. "After all the times I saved your life, now you want me to kill you! That is _absurd!_ No! I won't kill you just because you think you want to die! If you really want to die so badly, kill yourself!"

Kyle stood abruptly. "I already tried!"

Whirling, the ghost stared at him in shock.

"I tried but was stopped both times. The second time was because of _you_ that I was saved. And you made me promise I would never do it again. So I've kept my promise, Endri, and I will _continue_ to keep it. Therefore, I can't kill myself now. Which is why I ask youI _beg_ you! Please." His blue, summer sky eyes swam as if tears would soon rain down. "Help me die."

Swallowing, Endri looked away, a frown on his fair brow.

"You know my thoughts now, right? You have all my memories too? Then look through them and _feel_ what I've been feeling these last twenty years. Hear my thoughts on how I did and didn't wanna die. Please. Don't stand there and deny me happiness."

That snapped him out of it. Memories of his own words drifted to the forefront of his mind, words spoken so long ago. "_Happiness has always**always** been denied me._"

_I can't do the same to Kyle! I can't let him feel the way I have for so long. Butcan I also do what he's asking? **Kill** my best friend!_ He forced his thoughts to quiet and began sifting though Kyle's memories, securely tucked away at the back of his mind. Loneliness, emptiness, and hollow suffering were his reward. He discovered it had always been Kyle's desire for him to die somehow by Endri's hands rather than old age or accident. He wanted to die peacefully and painlessly and knew his best friend could do that for him. The ghost also discovered that Kyle had been ready to die for some time, but he was waiting for Endri to return.

He relived pieces of the human's past; saw him leaving after Endri had been changed back into a child; and saw him become a lonely recluse, only leaving his home when absolutely necessary. He went through all of Kyle's experiences from him becoming successful in his work to getting his dog Smoke. The sadness from when the animal died cut through Endri's heart and almost broke it. The tears stung his eyes but he continued on, searching through his friend's past and thoughts.

He dug back further, much further than just the twenty years they had been apart. He went back to that time only three years after they met and poured through Kyle's feelings at that one pivotal moment in their friendship.

They had gone to Canada in search of key number three and were wandering about the vastly forested region, camping here and there and carrying their supplies by four-wheeler from place to place. Endri had always been stoic with a hard attitude since Kyle had first met him, but at that point in their partnership, the human just couldn't take it anymore. When Kyle needed a friend, someone he could go to that would listen to his problems and help him, or someone to put their arm over his shoulders and tell him everything would be all rightEndri was never there. His uncaring, hard attitude had set Kyle off and the fight of the century broke forth. No fists were swung; no physical damage was given or received, but the words flung that day cut so much deeper than any weapon could.

In his anger and hurt, Kyle renounced his partnership with Endri and left the scene at a dead run. But he never watched where he was going and impaled himself upon an old, dead tree branch through his left shoulder. After that, Endri had found him and taken care of him regardless of threats shouted or curses flung in his direction.

Long days passed for them and Kyle received brief glimpses into the blonde's building insanity, but did not know it was to be Endri's downfall. And during that time, the ghost revealed things to Kyle that made the man's knees knock and heart flutter with fear. Endri had been a murdererhe had killed many, many people in his past, and that was when Kyle knew. He knew that someday, somehow, his partner would take his life, if not in homicide then by permission. One way or the other, Endri was going to kill Kyle.

The ghost blinked his eyes open, the twinkling orbs swimming. "K"

The man in question stepped up to him and wiped the corner of one eye with his thumb.

"I" Endri's strong body shook as he fell into a hug, letting Kyle's arms come up to wrap around him. He tried to calm his breathing to speak, but it was rather difficult. "I understand, Kyle. Butit's sodifficult." He swallowed heavily, trying to keep the tears in, though he was actually known to cry when so emotionally disturbed—as would anyone.

Kyle hugged tightly. "It's okay, 'Dri. I know it's a tall order, but please don't tell me no." He felt like he was trying to comfort a son and not his friend and hated it so much, he could taste itand it was bitter and biting.

Sniffing, the ghost looked up into his friend's eyes. "You know I would never deny you anything."

With a sigh of relief, the human smiled. "Thank you."

Both clutched each other into a hug for a while, letting their closeness bring about calmness. Endri drank in the warmth flowing from his friend's body, a warmth he hadn't felt for twenty years, a warmth he hadn't realized he was missing until now. The subtle beating of the man's heart thudded against his chest, making it almost feel like the ghost's own heart was beatingand it was a wonderful, solid feeling—a feeling he wished would never vanish. But knew it wasn't to be.

Kyle pulled away and smiled warmly, almost as warm as the heat from his body. "You okay?"

Endri nodded, wiping his nose. "YeahI-I'm okay."

A sudden, almost nervous look drifted over the human's features as he swallowed. "Thencould you do it? Now?"

Surprised, the ghost uttered, "N—! Bu—!" He grunted and slumped, feeling defeated. With an almost depressed sigh, he said, "All right. If you really want me to."

"Please," Kyle replied with a smile.

Endri gazed into his best friend's cerulean eyes again, forcing his nerves to steel. "Come here." He lead the man over to the couch again. "Sit down."

Kyle sat as told, then looked back up to his old partner for more instruction.

"Lay backrelax," the ghost coaxed, pressing gently on his old friend's shoulder.

Kyle did as told again, laying down fully on the couch, but a swallow of nerves couldn't help slipping past his defenses. Even though he wanted it to happen, was eager for it even, he still couldn't help feeling a little scared.

Endri noticed his friend's distress and eased down to his knees on the floor beside him. He ran a gentle hand over his friend's yellowed hair and smiled down at him, giving a little reassurance, even though he himself didn't feel reassured.

"Don't worry," he spoke softly, "you won't feel a thing." He stopped at that and voiced a question he needed answered just to be absolutely certain he wasn't about to do something he would regret. "Are you absolutely sure about this?"

Kyle swallowed, staring up at his ever–youthful friend. He barely remembered a time when he was just as youthful, just as energetic. And he wanted to continue being with his best friend and blood brother for much longer than the short visit he was being paid right then. He wanted to be with all of his friends and really enjoy every moment of it, not having to worry about his old age creeping up on him. But then, his old age had already crept up on him. Arthritis crippled his ability to do the things he so loved, like writing his computer programs or tinkering with his inventions.

No. He had absolutely no desire to live that way any longer.

"I'm sure."

Endri nodded with just a slight tilt of his head and drew his hand back over his old friend's hair. "Relax now. Everything will be all right."

Swallowing one last time, Kyle smiled up at his best friend, feeling his resolution strengthen with his comforting presence. "I know."

The ghost smiled down at him again, proud of how strong he had become over the years. He hadn't known that man for twenty years, had hardly any memory of him save stories told by his father, but now with his memory returned to him, he remembered all of the help, care, love, and friendship he had received from Kyle. With his memory reborn, Endri was stunned at how he had gotten along for twenty years without him. Well, no more.

He leaned over his best friend and drew his frail body into his arms in another tight embrace, savoring for the last time the comforting heat that always accompanied the act. He would miss the warmth of every hug and the throb from every heartbeat that always made him feel so alive.

"I'll miss you this way," he voiced his feelings quietly into his friend's ear.

Kyle sniffed in response and clung a little tighter, trying to ignore the droning ache in his hands that held his friend. He would miss a few things himself, but it was all bound to come to an end someday, one way or the other. He was just so happy he wouldn't die alone. He was so happy his dreaded old age wouldn't kill him slowly and painfully. He was thrilled that his wishes to die by his best friend's hands would soon be fulfilled.

"I always knew you'd kill me someday," he joked quietly, trying to lighten the somber mood that hung thickly in the air.

Endri chuckled at that. "You mean you've always _wanted_ me to kill you. Remember that accident with the tree all those years ago? You kept thinking I'd kill you then too."

A light laugh rose in Kyle's throat as well. "Yeah. But it was then that I knewI knew someday, somehow, you would be the one. I couldn't see it any other way, and I still can't."

"You are an odd one, Kyle Gavan Bennington."

"You love me."

The ghost smirked. "I suppose I do."

They continued the long embrace for a little while longer, neither quite wanting to let go or the moment to end. But at last, Endri laid his friend back to the cushions and smoothed a hand over his hair. There was really no need to prolong things much longer. Kyle would soon be in the Neitherworld, existing there permanently, ever youthful, ever energetic, ever happy.

"Are you ready?"

The human swallowed his emotions and gave one slight nod.

"Then close your eyes. Relax." He watched his friend obey his soft orders, the blue eyes Endri always saw filled with such light and life drifting shut, and his body releasing its tension. "Breathe slowly and deeply. Listen to only my voice, feel only my hands," his gentle voice commanded.

Kyle's once nervous breath evened out, and he listened to Endri's words intently, letting his relaxed senses pick up the feeling of the ghost's hands in his yellowed hair and on his chest.

"Farewell from this world," Endri began quietly, lifting one hand from the human's hair and bringing it to swipe softly over his closed eyelids. "_My dear friend_" he whispered lastly, a lump in his throat and eyes glossing over. "Sleep," he ordered.

There were no flashy lights, no amazing special effects, no dramatic scenes.

A smile on his lipshis head drifting slowly to the sideand a single tear traversing his pale, wrinkled cheek, Kyle simply fell to sleep, never meant to wake again. But before his senses dulled to nothing, the warm touch of lips met his forehead and a gentle voice reached his being, echoing softly.

"_See you in the Neitherworld._"

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Japanese / pronunciation / English Translation:

_Watakushi o sonkei suru_Kyle-_sama_/ wahta-kooshi oh sun-kay sooroo / I look up to you…Mr. Kyle! great respect Endri highly respects Kyle and thinks him to be superior to him at that point.

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This is the first time that I've ever made myself cry with my own words and descriptions. I hope I've also been able to evoke those feelings in others. It's the goal of any writer, I would believe.

Thank you for reading. Take care. 


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